Portugal's frontier control officers still don't have a pay deal. The government tabled what it called its final offer to PSP police unions covering a monthly supplement for border duties, and while two unions have come on side, five of the seven have not – keeping the possibility of fresh protests very much alive.
The offer itself is concrete enough. Interior Administration Minister Luís Neves proposed a €160 monthly supplement for officers in the PSP's border control unit (UNEF) and for GNR military personnel in the Coastal and Border Control Unit, starting in 2026 and backdated to 1 July. That figure would climb to €230 in 2027, then track standard public sector pay rises from 2028. Roughly 1,600 UNEF officers are covered.
The holdouts have different reasons. Sinapol, ASPP and ASAPOL simply think the money falls short – ASPP's president Paulo Santos called it far below what the specialisation of border work warrants, and argued the supplement should be sorted out as part of a broader overhaul of police pay. He confirmed protests already scheduled in several cities will go ahead. SNOP and the union representing PSP chiefs want to see the final written wording before signing anything. SNOP's president Bruno Pereira also objected to limiting the supplement to border officers, saying it widens splits inside the force, and accused the ministry of treating negotiations as "theatre" after it issued a statement mid-meeting.
For the government, two signatures count as significant progress after blanket union opposition. For travellers, the picture is more mixed. Border control staff at Portugal's airports and seaports – Lisbon, Porto, Faro and the islands included – are the people stamping you in and out of the Schengen area, and sustained union action in this sector has historically meant longer queues at passport control, particularly in peak summer arrivals. If you're flying into Portugal during the holiday season, build in extra time for immigration, especially at busy arrival banks, and keep an eye on news of strike dates before you fly. The dispute isn't a travel story on its face, but its practical effects land squarely on travellers.
