“I understand the situation of the workers there”, because “there are very few of them for the work they have to do”, but “this will further harm the lives of immigrants”, Flora Silva, from the Olho Vivo association, told Lusa.

“It is a very small group of workers for the volume of pending cases”, highlighted the association leader.

“The most important issue should be to strengthen AIMA to solve day-to-day problems. There are few people and we understand”, but “the ones who suffer are the immigrants” who are in an “even more complicated” situation.

The association movement has been calling for the reinforcement of AIMA, something that is “vital and urgent” and “should have been safeguarded” when the public institution was created in October 2023.

AIMA should have already been created “with a team of people to respond” to the problems in the sector.

The lack of human resources and the years of delays in appointments create “great instability” in a population that is already very vulnerable.

Alam Kazoi, leader of the Bangladesh Community of Porto, is also in solidarity with the strike, although he warns that “those who will really be harmed are the immigrants”.

“We are the ones who will suffer and the government doesn’t care because we are not Portuguese”, said the leader, highlighting that AIMA workers “are very tired”.

These employees “are working Saturdays, Sundays and overtime” and “we don’t know if they are receiving extra pay” for this additional work.

Despite this, “there are many people waiting to be seen”, even for small things.

On Monday, the National Federation of Public and Social Service Workers’ Unions (FNSTFPS) announced a strike against overtime at AIMA, due to a lack of human resources.

AIMA workers are “being pressured to work overtime” and “a public servant cannot refuse to do extra work”, the union leader stressed. That is why the strike notice period is between August 22 and December 31, he explained.

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