Speaking to the Lusa news agency, Carlos Araújo, leader of the SIMA union, indicated that this morning at least 14 departures and four arrivals had been cancelled, on the last day of the strike by workers at the Menzies handling company, which affected airports over the weekend.

However, there were "more than 40 to 50 trucks with cargo" at the cargo terminal this morning, either waiting to be unloaded or waiting times for the trucks were so long that they exceeded the truckers' timetables.

According to Carlos Araújo, most of the cargo was not loaded during the strike.

At other airports, the impact was less severe, but it was still felt.

The current strike, called by SIMA and the Transport Union (ST), began at midnight on Friday and continues until midnight today.

This is the first of five four-day strikes scheduled for weekends through early September. In August, the strike periods are scheduled for August 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, and 29-September 1.

Carlos Araújo said that no negotiations have been scheduled with the company, indicating that he was informed that such negotiations will not occur while strike notices remain in effect.

"Among the various strikes we've scheduled, there have been long periods without any notice, and the company's position remains the same; in other words, it's just an excuse," he emphasized.

"Let's hope that the company, which has almost 15 days until the next strike, has the opportunity to adjust its pace and provide us with a guarantee that it will review the salary scales on a specific date," he stated, emphasizing that workers need guarantees.

"It's absolutely incomprehensible, and I'm sure that most of the Portuguese population doesn't even consider the possibility of full-time salaries below the minimum wage," he lamented.

Lusa contacted ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, which manages the country's infrastructure, and is awaiting a response.