Speaking to Lusa, Adriano Manuel highlighted that the workers concluded that the government did not respond satisfactorily to their concerns and decided in a general assembly to move towards a total strike.
The assembly, which took place on Saturday in Luanda, was the culmination of a series of plenary sessions called by Força Sindical, UNTA-Confederação Sindical and the Central Geral dos Sindicatos Independentes e Livres de Angola-CGSSILA, in all provinces of the country, to listen to workers regarding the government's response to their statement of demands.
At issue are demands regarding an increase in the minimum wage from the current 32,181.15 to 245 thousand, an increase in civil service salaries by 250 percent, updating of subsidies and tax relief.
"The government says it does not have the money to pay, but it does not present any properly structured project to know when we will recover purchasing power, it has not presented plausible reasons for us to continue to be sacrificed and enjoy this poverty salary", highlighted the union leader
He also added that the 5 percent increase attributed to the public service is equivalent to an increase of 1600 kwanzas for a worker earning the minimum wage and highlighted that currently a bag of rice costs 25,000 kwanzas.
Adriano Manuel highlighted that problems of malnutrition and tuberculosis have grown, and pointed to a general increase in poverty in the country due to low income.
The strike will take place in three phases, with a first period of three days between March 20th and 22nd, a second between April 22nd and 30th and a third from June 3rd to 14th, 2024.
To "avoid exploitation and conflict situations", the unions are calling on workers to stay at home so that the country can "stop for three days".
"We want a peaceful strike, people should stay at home. We know our country and how certain institutions work with the aim of discrediting the union movement", he explained, adding that the unions keep negotiating channels open.
