The Regional Government has asked the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, to take action to ensure minimum services during the general strike scheduled for the 3rd of June. In a letter sent this Friday, the Regional Secretary for the Economy, José Manuel Rodrigues, said the strike notice does not provide enough protection for the needs of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. He argued that, based on arbitration decisions in similar situations, at least one vessel should be guaranteed on strike day to secure supply shipments to the autonomous regions and manage ship movements when wharf availability for goods to or from the islands is affected. Rodrigues warned that any disruption to loading and unloading operations could interfere with the weekly supply of the Region. He stressed that, in an island territory, such a stoppage could affect the population’s access to food and health. He also said the strike could disrupt regional health services, the flow of regional products and normal business activity, with consequences for the final cost and availability of goods. The minister is calling for intervention by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing, together with the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, to keep Madeira regularly supplied and avoid cargo constraints.
