“We don’t have data, we are not playing for numbers, because workers are not numbers, they are human beings, they work and dignify the sector”, said the president of the Madeira Hotel Workers Union, Adolfo Freitas, within the scope of a demonstration at the Regional Secretariat for Economy, Tourism and Culture, in Funchal.

The strike began at midnight and will last until midnight on January 1st, a period in which, according to official data, the hotel occupancy rate will be around 100%, largely driven by the fireworks show on New Year's Eve, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the region.

At issue is the 5.5% salary increase for 2025 proposed by the Hospitality Board of the Commercial and Industrial Association of Funchal (ACIF-CCIM), which represents businesspeople, a value above the expected inflation rate and which guarantees a minimum increase of 53 euros.

The union classifies the employer's proposal as “shameful and scandalous”, defending a minimum wage increase of 75 euros.

“What the bosses will offer from January – 53 euros increase – means that a large majority of workers will start receiving the regional minimum wage [stipulated at 915 euros from January 1st]”, warned Adolfo Freitas, explaining that the increase will therefore have no impact on around 3,000 workers.

The union leader considers this to be a “flippancy” on the part of the employers but says that the union remains available for negotiation, albeit with conditions.

“We are available to negotiate, but not the handouts they want to give to the workers. Workers are not begging. They work, enrich companies and need to be valued”, he declared.

Adolfo Freitas highlighted, on the other hand, that Madeira was the region of the country that grew the most in 2024 in terms of tourist arrivals and revenue for the sector and also won the World Travel Award for the 10th consecutive time as Best Island Destination in the World, which is why he considers ACIF’s salary increase proposal “unacceptable”.

“We had to resort to strikes so that the companies, in some way, dignify these workers,” he said.

To mark the first day of the strike, around 50 workers and union delegates held a protest march in the center of Funchal, which ended at the Regional Secretariat for Economy, Tourism and Culture.