The general strike called for this Thursday, December 11th, is expected to have a transversal impact on several essential sectors of daily life. According to Notícias ao Minuto, the strike called by CGTP and UGT comes as a response to the draft labor reform presented by the Government and could represent an economic impact of between 600 and 700 million euros.
The estimate was indicated by the president of the Northern Regional Directorate of the Order of Economists, Carlos Brito, who highlights the relevance of this strike at both an economic and social level.
According to the same person, the sectors most affected will be those that depend on the physical presence of workers, but there is also a political dimension, as unions tend to concentrate their action in sectors with the greatest influence on the daily lives of Portuguese people.
Based on this logic, it is expected that transport, education, public services and local authorities will feel the effects of the strike more clearly.
Public services and local authorities among the most exposed sectors
In Finance services, there is no formal support for the strike by the Tax Workers Union, but Notícias ao Minuto reports that the union called its own meeting for the following day, warning that several services could temporarily close. At the local authority level, significant support is anticipated.
According to statements made to the Lusa agency by union leaders and cited by the online newspaper, sectors such as urban hygiene, schools and municipal equipment will be among the most affected.
Cristina Torres, president of the National Union of Local and Regional Administration Workers, explained that the strike made it possible to bring concerns with the labor draft to the public and that there is a strong motivation among workers to stop measures considered harmful.
According to the same person, waste collection, the operation of schools and municipal transport could be particularly affected, along with swimming pools, museums, libraries and sports halls.
Schools may face significant disruption
The education sector is also expected to experience a strong impact. The general secretary of Fenprof, quoted by Notícias ao Minuto, stated that the strike could have a significant turnout due to the implications that the labor package has on negotiations over the status of the teaching career.
He also recalled that, in the strike on October 24th, the participation of teachers had already been higher than usual, signaling a growing mobilization.
What to expect in your daily life
The transversality of the strike means that many Portuguese people may experience changes in essential services, from delays in waste collection to disruptions in the functioning of schools or public service counters.
According to , the final impact will depend on adherence on the ground, but the expectation is for a strike to be felt from the north to the south of the country, reflecting a moment of tension in the discussion of the new labor rules.
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