Speaking after a meeting with the President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), union coordinator Rui Teixeira stressed that such a measure would have no impact on public spending but would make a real difference for low-income workers. “For many, wages no longer last until the end of the month. This increase would be highly significant,” he told journalists at the Palácio de Sant’Ana in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel.

Teixeira also argued for an increase in the complementary remuneration for workers and called for a more tragic approach to public support for companies. He emphasised that priority should be given to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, as well as initiatives that strengthen regional production. However, he insisted that such support must be tied to social responsibility. “If not, these subsidies will be lost funds with no impact on the regional economy, on the people who keep it running, or on reducing poverty,” he said.

Another major concern for the union is the stagnation of collective bargaining. “Without revitalising collective agreements, there will be no social progress. The region will remain stuck, with insufficient qualified labour and poor conditions for workers,” Teixeira warned.

He criticised the disconnect between reported economic growth and workers’ living standards, arguing that growth “must translate into better conditions for those who produce it.”

The Regional Plan and Budget for 2026 will be debated and voted on in the Regional Assembly this November. The governing coalition, which emerged from the February 2024 early elections, does not hold an outright majority and will need backing from other parties to secure approval.