"It was another meeting where the Government only admitted to increasing the meal allowance as early as 2026," said José Abraão, adding, however, that the executive did not present any proposal or the specific amount.

At the last meeting, the government had proposed increasing the meal allowance for civil servants by 10 cents per year starting in 2027, aiming to reach €6.30 in 2029.

However, if the 10-cent proposal is maintained, even with the advance to next year, Fesap warns that it will not be enough to reach a new agreement.

"We hope that the 10 cents can clearly be higher than what they presented to us, however ridiculous it was," points out José Abraão, while still praising the executive's willingness to increase the meal allowance as early as next year.

When asked if 10 cents would be enough, he retorted: "You've already realised, from the first minute, when we told you that 10 cents isn't enough for a loaf of bread," and if the Government doesn't "come forward with some butter, cheese, or something else to put on the bread, we certainly can't accept it."