The arbitration tribunal has decreed that minimum services be ensured during the strike by SPdH/Menzies workers, formerly Groundforce, scheduled for December 31 and January 1, at national airports.

According to the decision, during the strike, ground handling assistance must be guaranteed for state, military, emergency, humanitarian, and rescue flights, as well as operations essential to the safety of people, aircraft, and facilities.

The minimum services also cover air connections to autonomous regions – at least one flight – and “other operations considered essential, under applicable labour legislation,” according to the decision.

The strike was called by Sitava – the Aviation and Airport Workers' Union – and STHAA – the Handling, Aviation and Airport Workers' Union – due to uncertainty regarding the future of workers in the context of the tender for ground handling licenses, whose preliminary report from the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) places the Clece/South consortium in first place.

Meanwhile, the Government has extended the licenses currently under tender until at least May 19, 2026. The unions are demanding written guarantees of job security and acquired rights for more than 3,700 SPdH workers, of whom approximately 2,070 are directly affected by the tender.