The decision to go on strike, between today and Friday, was taken at a workers' meeting held on October 13, in which 80% of the 40 workers of the company PXM (Próximo) Transportes Urbanos de Faro spoke in favor of the strike, according to the Union of Road and Urban Transport Workers of Portugal (STRUP).

Speaking to Lusa, STRUP's Algarve regional coordinator, Paulo Afonso, explained that the workers are demanding “an increase in the base salary to 750 euros, the revision of the maximum rest time from three to two hours, the replacement of work schedules. service and the full integration of the sole agent allowance into the salary”.

The workers also "want to see the entire single agent subsidy integrated in the salary and not just 5% of the 25% of the normal working hour", explained that union leader, clarifying that at issue is "a subsidy that drivers receive as compensation for the collection of tickets, since the ticket collectors were abolished”.

The stoppage is also intended to require that the maximum period of “unpaid rest be reduced from three to two hours, as well as the replacement of unpaid rest time scales with only two hours of maximum rest”.

Paulo Afonso also said that, on the occasion of the first of the four days of PXM's strike, the union will promote a plenary at the company's premises, in downtown Faro, in which they hope to be able to count on the participation of workers from other companies of the Barraqueiro Group, to which the company belongs.

In addition to PXM, the companies Translagos, Frota Azul and Eva Transportes are also part of the Barraqueiro SGPS (Managing Company for Social Participations) in the Algarve.