The dimension and urgency of the problems that the workers and people face cannot tolerate any postponement. It is not acceptable that the interests of banks and other economic groups jeopardise rights and living conditions. The impositions of the EU and the Euro cannot override the country's development.
The country has the resources to respond to the demand for a better life, for a developed and sovereign Portugal. Refusing inevitabilities and pointing out an alternative path, we fight for a break with right-wing policies and put forward 30 priority measures to respond, now, to low wages and pensions, the deterioration of public services, housing prices, fiscal injustice, the rights of children and youth.
The 30 measures that are highlighted will be converted into proposals to be tabled at the Assembly of Republic and beyond, following the elections on March 10.
1. General increase in wages in the public and private sectors, by a minimum of 15% and not less than €150; valorisation of careers and professions, significant increase in the average wage, achieving quick convergence with the average wage in the euro zone; increase of the National Minimum Wage to €1000 in 2024, and its progressive increase bringing it closer to the Euro Zone average;
2. Repeal of the grievous norms of labour legislation, namely the end of the expiry of collective bargaining and the reinstatement of the principle of more favourable treatment for workers;
3. Reduction of working time to 35 hours per week for all workers and without loss of pay; combating deregulation of working time; legal limitation of shift work and continuous work with compensation for those who do it;
4. Fight against precariousness by ensuring that a permanent job corresponds to an effective contract; reduction of the trial period;
5. Repeal of the unfair evaluation system in Public Administration – SIADAP;
6. More doctors and nurses and other professionals in the NHS. Exclusive dedication scheme in the NHS: 50% more pay, 25% more counting of service time;
7. Revert public resources that are being diverted to private health groups to the NHS;
8. More teachers. Ensuring, in particular, the recognition of full length of service and employment after three years of teaching;
9. Increase in the amount of the risk allowance for security forces professionals;
10. Extra increase in pensions in 2024, guaranteeing a 7.5% increase, with a minimum of €70 and with retroactive effect to January (including those who retired last year), ensuring their increase (above inflation) annually;
11. Ensure the right to retirement without penalisation for those who have 40 years of social security payments and reset the retirement age to 65 years;
12. Improve the Social Benefit for Inclusion with an increase of 70 euros per month, payment over 14 months and the expansion of the conditions for access to this benefit for people with disabilities;
13. Home ownership protection scheme making banks bear the rise in interest rates;
14. Protection scheme for rented housing with regulation and reduction in rent values, repeal of the Evictions Law and stability in rental contracts on a 10-year basis; end of the regime for non-habitual residents;
15. Launch of a public housing supply programme, with an average annual State investment of 1% of GDP, aiming to provide 50 thousand new homes in the course of the legislature;
16. Reduction of the cost of the intermodal public transport pass: regional/metropolitan €20; interregional €40;
17. Elimination of tolls in Ex-scuts and metropolitan areas;
18. Launch of the free public daycare network (integrated into the educational system) with the aim of creating 100,000 new vacancies by 2028 and guaranteeing pre-school education;
19. Universalisation and valorisation of child benefit;
20. Elimination of tuition fees in higher education and reinforcement of School Social Action, particularly in student residences;
21. VAT: reduction to the 6% rate on electricity, gas and telecommunications;
22. IRS Personal Income Tax: establishment of 10 brackets, with tax relief in the first three and updating the value of the specific deduction;
23. IRC Corporate Tax: elimination of tax benefits given to big capital; extraordinary taxation of profits from banking, energy and large distribution;
24. Reversal of Public Private Partnerships (roads; railways; healthcare);
25. Promote a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the privatisation of ANA, Aeroportos and decide on the construction of the New Lisbon Airport, at Alcochete Shooting Range;
26. Stop the privatisation and invest in the development of TAP as a strategic company for the country;
27. Support national production (agriculture, fisheries, industry) and SMEs, particularly with urgent State intervention to regulate prices and reduce costs with fuel, electricity, communications, insurance, credit, tolls;
28. Defend public water: investment programme for water collection, storage, transportation and efficient use;
29. Program public investment in the Countryside;
30. Set 1% of the State Budget for culture.