Lisbon, Jan. 21, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese prime minister on Wednesday expressed his openness to "receiving proposals and contributions" on the revision of changes to the labour law, rejecting the idea that the Government's proposal represents any "civilisational setback" and that the government is approaching this process with arrogance.
A day after meeting with the CGTP trade union confederation to discuss the revision of labour law, Luís Montenegro presided today, at the prime minister's official residence in São Bento (Lisbon), over the signing ceremony for the 2026-2029 Multi-Year Agreement on pay rises for public administration workers, taking the opportunity to respond to criticism from this trade union confederation.
"Just yesterday, I told one of the trade union confederations that we are available and open to receiving proposals and adapting our proposals to these contributions in the spirit of safeguarding the principles we want to achieve," he said.
Montenegro argued that "the country does not need quarrelling, alarmism, or those who see this as a step backwards for civilisation, but rather those who see the possibility for the country to develop further in its capacity for transformation and positive reform".
On Tuesday, the leader of the CGTP said that "it is not the government's objective to withdraw" the amendments to the draft labour law from discussion and indicated that the trade union confederation will convene its national council to discuss new forms of struggle. Today, at the signing of the civil service pay rise agreement, with the prime minister in the front row, the leader of the civil service union, FESAP, José Abraão, called for negotiable proposals to be put forward.
"We may fall short here and there on some aspects, on some objectives that may exist. I don't think it's very valid to accuse us of any spirit of imposition, arrogance or intolerance towards dialogue. That's not the case," replied Montenegro.
Montenegro assured that the Government's objective is "rapprochement, convergence", not to "show off figures", but "to work".
"I will not take home - I will not say the provocation - but having been urged to conform to this whole spirit also in the process of considering and amending some rules of the Labour Law," he said, smiling.
The head of the government assured that the Government does not want "in any way to affect the essential core of workers' rights" or "create any imbalance in labour relations".
On the contrary, he said, the Government's goal is that labour relations and labour dynamics "give rise to factors of competitiveness that allow" the country to be more productive and competitive.
"And that is what guides our perspective on changing some of the rules of the Labour Law. With a positive spirit," he said.
The prime minister once again praised the "excellent moment" of the Portuguese economy, but recalled that "nothing is guaranteed" and even referred to the current election presidential campaign.
"Despite the liveliness of the times we are going through with the election campaign for the presidency office, Portugal is a country with political stability, where debates take place, we had legislative elections, we had local elections, now we have presidential elections, followed by a period of more than three and a half years without national elections," he said.
Montenegro added that the Portuguese people "decide each election according to their own criteria, calmly, responsibly, and very democratically, as happened last Sunday in the first round of presidential elections."
"This spirit should also preside over the process of bringing positions closer together, and that is what we will do," he assured.
Regarding the agreement signed today, he again argued that civil servants are "the cornerstone" of the government's ongoing reform of the state.
"We are laying solid foundations for a country that is not satisfied with just growing more than others, as has been the case, but a country that wants to go further to grow more and be prepared for the good times and the not-so-good times. And so that, even in the not-so-good times, it can still continue to grow more than others," he pointed out.
For 2026, the agreement provides for salary increases of 2.15%, with a minimum of €56.58, while for 2027, 2028 and 2029, the agreement establishes salary increases of 2.30%, with a minimum of €60.52. According to the Government, this trajectory translates into "a minimum increase of €238.14" during this legislative term.
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