RTP Workers Vote to Strike Over 7.50-Euro Salary Proposal That Falls Far Below Government Recommendation
Workers unanimously approved strike action after RTP management proposed a 7.50-euro monthly raise — far below the government's 56.58-euro recommendation for state enterprises.
Workers at Portugal's public broadcaster RTP voted unanimously on Thursday to launch strike action after management proposed a monthly salary increase of just 7.50 euros — a fraction of the 56.58 euros recommended by the government for state-owned enterprises.
The decision, approved by acclamation at a general assembly, represents a sharp escalation in labour tensions at the broadcaster. Workers will refuse normal duties, overtime, and work on public holidays. Pre-strike notices will be filed by ten unions representing RTP employees.
The assembly also voted to withdraw confidence in the company's board of directors, led by CEO Nicolau Santos.
A Proposal Workers Called an Insult
In a joint statement, RTP's Workers' Committee and Porto sub-committee described the administration's offer as "a deliberate insult to those who ensure the public media service every day."
The government's recommendation for the state enterprise sector — 56.58 euros per month — was issued as a guideline for wage negotiations. RTP's initial proposal was five euros. After pushback, management raised it to 7.50 euros. The gap between the two figures has become the flashpoint.
But the salary figure is only part of the dispute. According to the Workers' Committee, the administration's proposal also includes:
- Elimination of the 3% employer contribution to workers' supplementary pension insurance
- Tripling employee contributions to health insurance
- Ending the travel allowance for workers on assignment
- No increase to the meal allowance, despite rising costs both in company canteens and external restaurants
For workers already dealing with inflation and rising living costs, the package amounts to a net reduction in compensation.
The Financial Context: Lost Revenue and Frozen Funding
RTP's financial difficulties are real, but workers argue the squeeze is being applied in the wrong place.
The Workers' Committee highlighted that the Audiovisual Contribution — RTP's main public funding mechanism, indexed to inflation — has not been updated by the government. This year alone, the freeze costs the broadcaster approximately six million euros. Since 2017, the accumulated loss totals 135 million euros.
The refusal by Leitão Amaro, Minister of the Presidency, to adjust the contribution has left RTP caught between a government unwilling to increase funding and a workforce being asked to shoulder the shortfall.
RTP's administration, which declined to comment publicly while negotiations are ongoing, faces a delicate balancing act: managing costs in a constrained budget environment while maintaining labour peace at a broadcaster whose credibility depends on operational stability.
What Happens Next
The unions representing RTP workers — including FE, FETESE, SICOMP, SINDETELCO, SINTTAV, SITESE, SITIC, SJ, SMAV, and STT — are set to meet with RTP's Opinion Council on 30 March and the Independent General Council on 31 March.
The next formal negotiation session with the board is scheduled for 1 April — a symbolic date that has not been lost on workers.
If no agreement is reached, the strike could disrupt programming at Portugal's flagship public broadcaster, affecting news coverage, production schedules, and live events. RTP operates multiple television channels, radio stations, and digital platforms, making it the country's most visible media institution.
The timing is also politically sensitive. Public sector strikes have become a regular feature of Portuguese labour relations in 2026, from teachers and nurses to AIMA cultural mediators. RTP workers joining that wave adds another layer of pressure on a government already navigating a fragile budget agreement and rising discontent over wages and public services.
A Test for Public Media Funding
The RTP dispute is about more than one salary negotiation. It raises fundamental questions about how Portugal funds its public broadcaster — and whether the political commitment to public media extends beyond rhetoric.
If the Audiovisual Contribution remains frozen while costs rise, RTP's administration will continue to face impossible trade-offs: cut staff, reduce programming quality, or ask workers to accept real-terms pay cuts.
Workers have made their position clear: they won't be the ones to absorb the gap.
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