"It's a reason for satisfaction. There was an understanding that was reached. The agreement had the advantage of meeting the needs of both parties," Francisco Bettencourt stressed, in statements to the Lusa agency.

The strike had been going on since 7 March and aimed for 15% salary increases for 1st class machinists, a value that the company's administration considered financially "unbearable".

"Unfortunately, aspects that the company considered important were not analysed, but in light of the demands that each of the parties wanted, it was an agreement that satisfies," Francisco Bettencourt added.

In statements to Lusa, the president of Atlânticoline also said that it was "extremely important" for the company to reach an understanding that would allow the suspension of a strike that had been going on since 7 March and that caused "great inconvenience" to passengers, especially those who cross the channel daily, namely patients who travel from Pico for treatment at the Hospital da Horta, on the island of Faial.

"This was a major concern of ours. Now, with the situation back to normal, we will resume all the trips that are foreseen in this public service obligation contract," stressed the president of Atlânticoline.

In addition to the constraints on passengers, Francisco Bettencourt argued that the strike also causes losses at the company level.

"Obviously, there are losses, both in terms of the company's image and financially, since we have a public service obligation contract with the Regional Government that was not being fully complied with, because the trips foreseen in this contract were not being carried out," he explained.

The Union of Merchant Navy, Travel Agencies, Freight Forwarders and Fishing Workers cancelled the strike at Atlânticoline, a decision taken in a workers' plenary by majority.

According to a news item released on Wednesday by Antena 1/Açores, the strike was called off on Tuesday, after "a principle of understanding" had been reached in the last conciliation meeting between the union and the company's administration.

On Wednesday, in statements to Lusa, the regional union leader Clarimundo Batista said that the result "met" the workers' demands, "but not in their entirety, because in negotiations there are never 100% victories".

The company transports almost half a million passengers and about 30 thousand vehicles annually, especially between the so-called Triangle islands (Faial, Pico and São Jorge), where it operates all year round, using four vessels (two ships and two ferries).

According to the union, the company has about 200 workers, of which 54 are involved in the maritime part of the operation.

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