The agreement on the demands presented in September 2023 was reached at the end of a negotiation marathon of more than eight hours at the Ministry of Public Administration, Labour and Social Security (MAPTS), one week before the third phase of the strike that had been called by the three Angolan trade union confederations.

Speaking to journalists, the Secretary of State for Labour and Social Security, Pedro Filipe, announced the main terms of the three-year agreement, which will be in force until 2027, and which includes "structural issues" presented by the unions in recent years, including the minimum wage, which will double, and public sector salaries.

Pedro Filipe considered the agreement as an "exercise of great patience and responsibility" between the executive and the unions that had "different positions" on a number of issues.

Among the structural issues is the public sector salary, which will be adjusted by 35% next year, and will be revised on the eve of the preparation of the State Budget in subsequent years.

"General principles for setting the national minimum wage" were also defined, which will increase to 70,000 kwanzas, almost double the current 32,000 kwanzas (35 euros).

For micro-enterprises and 'startups' the salary will be set at 50,000 kwanzas, while companies that already pay 70,000 kwanzas will have 12 months to reach 100,000 kwanzas, while those below this level will have two years to reach 100,000 kwanzas.

The executive will also review the criteria for allocating subsidies for remote areas according to the categories of municipalities and agreed to incorporate a representative of the unions on the fiscal council of the National Institute of Social Security.

Pedro Filipe also said that changes to labour taxes are being studied, in order to "move towards taxation from a more integrated perspective, with technical discussions being accompanied by the unions.

With the agreement, the third phase of the strike that was scheduled to take place between 3 and 14 June should be called off, although the unions have not yet commented.

The three Angolan trade union confederations - the General Confederation of Independent and Free Trade Unions of Angola (CGSILA), the National Union of Angolan Workers - Trade Union Confederation (UNTA-CS) and the Trade Union Force - Trade Union Confederation (FS-CS) - ended the second phase of the general strike in April without reaching an agreement on wage demands and promised to mobilise for the third phase.

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