“The meeting did not add anything that we intended. Namely, the APMA [future Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum] diploma, which was not delivered to us. (...) Nothing was guaranteed. Let's keep the strike. There wasn't even much openness to these issues," Artur Girão, president of the Union of Foreigners and Borders Service Employees (SINSEF), told Lusa.

At issue is the integration of SEF workers in the Judiciary Police, in the Institute of Registries and Notaries (IRN) and in the future APMA within the scope of the restructuring process of that organism, with negotiations with the Government on the draft decree-law that regulates the transfer of employees.

On Monday, in Matosinhos, Porto, the Minister of Internal Administration, José Luís Carneiro, told journalists that he hoped to reach an agreement with the unions of SEF administrators and inspectors, who also delivered a prior notice for a strike, between Thursday and the following Monday.

The union structures are against the way in which the Government intends to transfer workers, considering the union of inspectors that the draft decree-law that will regulate the transfer of inspectors from the SEF to the PJ does not guarantee the principle “equal work, salary equal".

The strike by the SEF Research and Inspection Career Union (SCIF/SEF) coincides with the Easter period and could cause disturbances at airports.

Showing dissatisfaction with the way the transfer process is taking place, Artur Girão said that today there will be “a small demonstration” next to the SEF facilities on Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, in Lisbon, at 10:00 am.

“The doors will be closed. We estimate a very high adherence to this strike. The internal dissatisfaction is enormous”, he underlined, adding that there will be no minimum services.

The president of SCIF/SEF, Acácio Pereira, told Lusa that a decision on maintaining the strike will be taken tonight.