Major strike in Portugal disrupts travel and services

The strike, called by Portugal’s two main trade union confederations, is starting to disrupt travel, while government services, medical appointments and classes are expected to be further affected.

Two labor groups representing nearly a million Portuguese workers say it could be the country’s biggest strike in more than 10 years as they oppose planned changes to employment laws by the centre-right government.

While unions say the changes strip away workers’ rights, the government argues the changes are necessary to make the economy more flexible and stimulate growth.

Proposed changes include making it easier for companies to fire workers, denying the right to strike in other sectors of the economy and limiting breastfeeding breaks for mothers to the first two years of a baby’s life, starting from the current open-ended exemption.

Lisbon Metro said services were suspended at 11pm on Wednesday and would restart early Friday morning.

While Portuguese Railways warned about disruptions, the light rail system operator in Porto, Portugal’s second largest city, announced that services were reduced due to the strike on Thursday.

Portugal has one of the European Union’s smallest economies and its workers are among the lowest-paid workers in the 27-nation bloc.

The Portuguese are also grappling with a housing and cost-of-living crisis as property prices soar and inflation runs at just over two percent.

The European Commission expects Portugal to achieve GDP growth of around two percent in 2025, above the EU average of 1.4 percent.

Unemployment is below six percent, roughly below the EU average.

Unions plan to hold street marches later Thursday.

For the first time since 2013, umbrella groups (General Union of Workers and General Confederation of Portuguese Workers) are joining forces.

Social Democratic Prime Minister Luis Montenegro called the strike “meaningless” because the country’s situation was good.