The CGTP announced a general strike for December 11th, at the end of the national march against the labor package in Lisbon. The General Union of Workers (UGT) confirmed that it will propose to its national secretariat the ratification of the strike, marking an unprecedented convergence between the two largest unions in the country since the time of the troika, more than ten years ago.
This initiative aims to protest against the draft revision of labor legislation, which changes more than a hundred articles of the Labor Code and is under discussion with social partners.
What changes for workers
According to the same source, joining the strike temporarily suspends the employment contract. During the period of stoppage, the worker is no longer obliged to the duties of subordination and attendance, but loses the right to remuneration and meal allowance. According to the same source, strike time counts for seniority purposes and does not affect career progression.
Portuguese legislation also protects workers from retaliation. The employer cannot prevent membership, coerce, discriminate or harm a worker for participating in the strike. Any act of intimidation constitutes a very serious offense, and it is possible to take legal action as long as the worker can prove the employer’s behavior.
Context of the strike
The last joint general strike between CGTP and UGT took place in 2010, during the troika period. Since then, the two union federations had not agreed on a large-scale strike. According to Tiago Oliveira, general secretary of CGTP, several union structures were still in the decision process, but it was possible to reach consensus to move forward with the strike scheduled for December 11th.
The protest arises in the context of the draft Work XXI, presented by the Government on July 24, which aims at a profound review of labor legislation. Among the proposed changes, changes to parental leave, periods of breastfeeding and gestational mourning, flexible working, training in companies and trial periods of employment contracts stand out.
The proposal also foresees the expansion of the sectors covered by minimum services in the event of a strike, a measure that could limit the impact on essential sectors.
Union mobilization and reaction
Last Saturday, thousands of workers participated in a march organized by CGTP on Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon, in protest against the changes proposed by the Government of Luís Montenegro. Mário Mourão, general secretary of UGT, reiterated that the union continues to prioritize dialogue, but stressed that, in the absence of a satisfactory agreement, it prefers to take to the streets.
According to the economic information agency that monitors the labor sector, the December 11 strike will be one of the biggest in recent years, bringing together the country’s two main unions and increasing pressure on the Government to review the labor reform proposal.
Adherence and the possible consequences for workers were explained in detail by , clarifying rights, limits and risks associated with a strike of this size.
Also read:
