Around 300 workers from the cork industry gathered today at the Amorim Group’s headquarters in Mozelos, demanding wage increases for the entire sector and an end to the “psychological torture” that pressures them to give up their rights.
The protest was organized by the Sindicato dos Operários Corticeiros do Norte, which represents around 6,000 of the sector’s 8,000 workers and, like Amorim, is based in the municipality of Santa Maria da Feira, in the district of Aveiro and the Porto Metropolitan Area.
“Cork workers in struggle – Don’t rob us anymore”, “For some there are millions; for others there aren’t even pennies” and “Enough psychological torture – We must respect the workers” were some of the messages on the banners at the protest, which also included black flags and a black coffin carried on foot, in a 20-minute walk, by around 100 workers from Amorim Cork Flooring, which, in the neighboring parish of São Paio de Oleiros, is in the process of being refurbished.
Marcos Sousa is the spokesman for the company’s workers’ committee and explained to Lusa the “grief” of the delegation: “There were around 300 of us in the factory and we started to be pressured to leave. At the moment, the company has already negotiated the departure of 103 people and now wants to change the schedules of those who are left, to stop having rotating shifts and pay less for night work.”
According to the workers’ representative, if Amorim Cork Flooring moves to fixed shifts and implements the new salaries it is proposing, “each worker will lose an average of 310 euros per month”.
AlÃrio Amorim, president of the Sindicato dos Operários Corticeiros do Norte, says that this kind of pressure is common in different companies in the sector, but stresses that the priority at this stage is to close negotiations on the new collective bargaining agreement for the period from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, in order to guarantee “a fair wage for all workers in the cork industry”.
When talks began in April, the union demanded a monthly salary increase of 72 euros and a 1.46 euro food allowance. However, the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) – which represents 230 companies in the sector, 80% of the national production of this raw material and 85% of its exports – counter-proposed an increase of 21 cents in meals and 36 euros in salaries until December and 60 euros thereafter.
“We won’t accept that. The minimum we are willing to accept is a 60 euro monthly increase, which is the amount of the January update to the national minimum wage, stipulated by decree,” says AlÃrio Amorim.
The union leader argues that “it’s not the crisis that’s preventing increases” – he notes that Amorim is even asking Champcork and Socori employees to work overtime to fulfill orders during the vacation period – but he admits that the world leader in the industry is putting pressure on smaller employers. “We haven’t reached an agreement yet because Amorim is putting pressure on the other companies not to accept,” he explains.
Contacted by Lusa, APCOR said it does not comment on ongoing negotiations. When questioned about Amorim, including the situation at Cork Flooring, the cork company asked “that questions be directed to APCOR”.
Today’s demonstration was attended by MPs and other representatives of the PS, BE and PCP, as well as leaders of FEVICCOM – Federação Portuguesa dos Sindicatos da Construção, Cerâmica e Vidro; União de Sindicatos de Aveiro; CGTP – Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses; and the Central and Northern delegations of SITE – Sindicato dos Trabalhadores das Indústrias Transformadoras, Energia e Atividades do Ambiente.
The Northern Teachers’ Union also joined the protest, “in solidarity” with the cork workers.
