"The salaries will be decompressed in all categories. The Workers' Committee is pleased with that. It will be an increase for everyone. It is a very good increase", revealed Artur Lima.

The number two of the regional executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) was speaking at the General Policy Committee of the Legislative Assembly, regarding the Plan and Budget of the Azores for 2024.

Artur Lima recalled that the salary issue in Lajes "is a problem of the Government of the Republic on behalf of a relationship between two States", but highlighted the "effort" of the Regional Government to "resolve the matter", which was raised in the committee by PS deputy Andreia Cardoso.

"What we have guaranteed is that these workers who are now receiving less will receive retroactively until the new American tables come into effect", pointed out the vice-president of the Azorean government.

The 4.7% salary update will take place on July 1.

On February 26, the Union of Manufacturing, Food, Commerce and Office Industries, Hotels and Tourism of the Azores (SITACEHT/Açores) warned that the number of workers with a base salary below the minimum wage at the Lajes base increased in January and the situation could extend to half of the salary table in three years.

The situation has been dragging on since 2022, but worsened with the new increase in the national minimum wage in January, covering a greater number of grades and levels of the salary tables, updated in July, by Feusaçores (American forces stationed at the Lajes base).

Today, Artur Lima stated that a "transitional mechanism" was "found", through a subsidy, to ensure that no worker receives an amount less than the minimum wage in force in the Azores.

"At this moment, there is no worker receiving below the regional minimum wage. There is no reason why the Americans are paying, in a transitional solution that we have reached until a definition is found", he reinforced.

The minister criticized the previous PS executives for having ended the "salary survey that collected the salary increases of the workers at the Lajes base and had as factors the Portuguese and American civil service".

Artur Lima also highlighted that, in 2024, the vice-presidency will present in the Plan around 610 thousand euros of investment in the areas of external cooperation and European affairs.

The budget proposal, which will start to be discussed in the Azorean parliament on May 21, includes an amount of 2,045.5 million euros, similar to that presented in October 2023 (2,036.7 million).

This is the second time that the Regional Government led by José Manuel Bolieiro has presented a proposal for an Investment Plan for this year, after the previous one was rejected in the Legislative Assembly, in November, with the votes against PS, BE and IL and the abstention of Chega and PAN, which led the President of the Republic to call for early elections.

Also Read: Regional Government. Debt of PS executives conditions the health of the Azores (Portuguese version)