A strike on overtime by disgruntled security workers employed by companies Prosegur and Securitas at Portugal’s airports began on Wednesday this week and is expected to last until the end of the year, and tomorrow's day-long strike is part of their action.

According to the head of the airport workers’ union, Sitava, the overtime ban may have an impact on security as overtime work requirements “are constant”.

“The workers of these two companies are responsible for the security of the around 40 million passengers who, each year, pass through Portuguese airports and, based on the conditions in which they are working, sooner or later, we may have some serious problems. It is time to look at this issue more carefully,” said the head of the Aviation and Airport Workers Union (Sitava) Fernando Henriques.
Speaking to Lusa News Agency, Henriques explained that the companies make frequent use of overtime hours, so much so that overtime hours are included on schedules a month in advance.
“When we have workers doing 12 –hour shifts it is natural that after a while they are unable to assess, for example, the colours used to represent items in baggage,” he noted.
Tasks carried out by the Securitas and Prosegur workers include scanning passengers and their luggage.
According to Sitava, the workers will refuse to work overtime until 31 December.