Portugal is poised for its first general strike in more than a decade as unions mobilise against the right-wing minority government's proposed overhaul of workers’ rights. The nationwide shutdown, set for Thursday, is expected to disrupt public transport, schools, courts and hospitals as employees protest planned changes that would make dismissals easier, lengthen fixed-term contracts and increase minimum service requirements during strikes.
The action is anticipated to be the country’s largest since June 2013, when Portugal, amid a sweeping European debt crisis, was forced to implement deep austerity measures in exchange for international financial assistance.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has defended the draft legislation which includes more than 100 measures saying the reforms are designed to “stimulate economic growth and pay better salaries”.
But unions, including the communist-aligned CGTP and the more centrist UGT, have condemned the proposals. The CGTP is coordinating around 20 demonstrations nationwide, with its secretary-general, Tiago Oliveira, describing the measures as “one of the biggest attacks on the world of work”. He argued the reforms would entrench job insecurity, deregulate working hours and simplify dismissals, noting that 1.3 million of Portugal’s five million workers are already in precarious positions.
Private-sector unions are also joining the strike. TAP Air Portugal expects to operate only one-third of its usual 250 flights, while the national railway operator has warned that disruption may continue into Friday.
With a presidential election looming in early 2026, Oliveira said the strike was “already a success” for drawing national attention to the reforms. Public support appears strong, with 61 percent backing the walkout, according to local polling.
On the eve of the industrial action, Montenegro urged calm, saying he hoped the country would function “as normally as possible”, stressing that “the rights of some must not infringe on the rights of others”.
Despite lacking a parliamentary majority, the government is expected to push the reforms through with support from liberal parties and the far-right, now Portugal’s second-largest political force.
Opposition parties have criticised Montenegro’s bloc for failing to disclose plans to scale back workers’ rights during the most recent election campaign.
Although Portugal is experiencing modest economic growth of around two percent and near-record-low unemployment at six percent, the prime minister argues that the favourable economic climate makes this the right moment to introduce structural labour reforms.