Tens of Thousands Protest Labour Reforms in Lisbon, General Strike Planned
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Lisbon today to demonstrate against proposed labour law changes, sparking fears over worker protections and prompting a call for a nationwide strike.
The centre-right Portuguese government is seeking to ease restrictions on firing employees, increase outsourcing options, and curtail certain types of compassionate leave, including reducing bereavement leave following a miscarriage. Officials argue the reforms are necessary to boost job flexibility and productivity in Portugal, one of Western Europe’s less affluent nations. However, the country’s largest union, CGTP, has denounced the proposed changes as “one of the greatest attacks ever made against workers” and announced a general strike for December 11th.
Protesters filled Lisbon’s main avenue, with the CGTP estimating the crowd size at around 100,000. Miriam Alves, a 31-year-old worker at a medical device company, told reporters at the protest that the reforms are “clearly a step backward in working conditions and could lead to a complete lack of job security.” Madalena Pena, a 34-year-old archive technician, expressed concern that the government was reversing labour rights “in an unfair, subtle, and cunning way, without having said anything before the election” in May. Low wages are also a significant concern for Portuguese workers; official data indicates over 50% earned less than 1,000 euros per month last year, with the minimum wage currently set at 870 euros. You can find more information about Portugal’s national statistics institute here.
The proposed bill is expected to pass in parliament with the support of the far-right Chega party. CGTP general secretary Tiago Oliveira stated at the protest that implementing the changes “would be a real setback in the lives of each and every one of us.” These reforms come at a critical time for Portugal’s economy, potentially impacting its ability to attract and retain skilled workers. Further details on the Portuguese government’s policies are available on their official website.
Officials have yet to respond to the announcement of the general strike, but are expected to continue advocating for the reforms in parliament.
