Transport, schools, services paralyzed as Portuguese workers protest

A nationwide strike called by Portugal’s two main trade unions has brought travel and government services to a standstill, with medical appointments and schools also expected to be severely disrupted.

The walkout, which began on December 11, could become the country’s largest in over a decade, as unions challenge proposed changes to employment laws by the centre-right government, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The General Workers’ Union and the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers, representing nearly a million workers, argue that the reforms would strip employees of fundamental rights. Key measures include easing the process for companies to dismiss workers, expanding restrictions on the right to strike across additional sectors, and limiting breastfeeding breaks for mothers to the first two years of a child’s life instead of the current open-ended entitlement.

“The government is taking away workers’ rights and protections,” union representatives said, while officials insist that the reforms are necessary to make the economy more flexible and stimulate growth.

Portugal’s economy is among the smallest in the European Union, and wages remain low relative to the bloc. According to the National Statistics Institute, the average monthly salary is around €1,600 (£1,400) before taxes, while hundreds of thousands earn the minimum wage of €870 (£760) per month. Workers are also grappling with soaring property prices and a cost-of-living squeeze, even as inflation remains just over 2%.

Despite these pressures, the European Commission forecasts Portugal’s GDP growth at about 2% this year, above the EU average of 1.4%, with unemployment under 6%, roughly in line with the bloc’s average.

The strike coincides with street marches planned across the country, marking the first joint action by the two umbrella unions since 2013. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, of the Social Democratic Party, criticized the strike, calling it “senseless” given the nation’s positive economic performance.

By Vafa Guliyeva