Lisbon, Dec. 10, 2025 (Lusa) - On Thursday, the government faces a general strike, a protest that will also be marked by street demonstrations against the revision of labour legislation and which brings together the Communist-backed CGTP and the Socialist-backed UGT union confederations in a joint strike for the first time since 2013.
The draft revision of labour legislation presented by the government and currently being discussed in Social Dialogue has led to the calling of the 11th general strike in Portugal in 51 years of democracy, the fifth to bring together CGTP and UGT, which has not happened since the joint strike on 27 June 2013.
The CGTP has several actions planned in 15 districts in the north and south of the country, as well as in the Azores and Madeira, including rallies, demonstrations and strike pickets. In contrast, the UGT plans to accompany the mobilisation with several strike pickets.
In an interview with Lusa, the CGTP secretary-general said he expected "strong participation" in the general strike called for next Thursday, with "a greater impact" on health, education and transport. It said that minimum services "will be respected".
Tiago Oliveira also considered the government's opening of negotiations to be "a fallacy".
The UGT secretary-general also said that the general strike "will not fail" and expressed his “confusion” at the government's willingness to negotiate the labour law, questioning whether there is an "intention to provoke" the trade union confederation into "a break".
Mário Mourão also said that he sees the government as "comfortable" in taking the proposal to parliament and indicated that he is "very far" from an agreement with the government.
Regarding transport, trains, boats, and Carris buses in Lisbon will operate on minimum services during Thursday's general strike, but the Metro will not run, according to decisions announced on Wednesday by the Economic and Social Council (CES).
The Metro Mondego will also maintain the “metrobus” in Coimbra in its entirety, but will reduce alternative services on the Lousã branch line, according to the Directorate-General for Employment and Labour Relations.
In health, the minimum services defined include emergencies, chemotherapy, palliative care, and dressings, according to the CES decision.
The proposal, called "Work 21", was presented on 24 July by the government and has already been met with a resounding “no” from the trade unions, who argue that it is an "attack" on workers' rights.
On the other hand, business confederations have applauded the reform, even though they say there is room for improvement.
After the announcement of the general strike, the Ministry of Labour submitted a new proposal to the UGT with some concessions, dropping, for example, the simplification of dismissals in medium-sized companies, but maintaining the return of the individual hour bank or revoking the rule that provides for restrictions on outsourcing in the event of dismissal.
The government has reiterated that it "is not willing to withdraw the entire proposal" and that it wants to maintain the “cornerstones”. However, it is open to dialogue and will give the UGT "more time" to analyse the new proposal.
The labour minister, Rosário Palma Ramalho, has warned that she "will not prolong" the negotiations in the Social Dialogue, and that, with or without an agreement, the changes will always have to be debated and negotiated in parliament.
JMF/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
