Major Labor Conflict Escalates
The CGTP will deliver the preliminary notice for the general strike on December 11th to the Ministry of Labor this Monday, with the UGT also joining the protest. The unions are targeting the labor law reform that the PSD and CDS-PP government intends to implement.
The preliminary notice is expected to arrive at the Ministry of Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho in Lisbon around 1:00 PM. This marks the first general strike to unite both major union federations, CGTP and UGT, since June 2013, when Portugal was under troika intervention.
Union Leaders Voice Strong Opposition
"We're talking about a labor package proposal that, in black and white, represents the normalization of precarious work, deregulation of working hours, attacks on collective bargaining, facilitation of dismissals, and preventing unions from entering workplaces," enumerated CGTP Secretary-General Tiago Oliveira on November 10th.
UGT Threatens Extended Action
Meanwhile, UGT has made it clear that if necessary, they will proceed with a two-day strike. In a recent interview, UGT Secretary-General Mário Mourão reiterated that the government failed to promote dialogue.
"The best thing that could happen for UGT not to proceed with the strike would be for everyone to reflect on whether this isn't the moment to stop. There's a saying that says 'stop, listen, and look.' I say 'stop, listen, and reflect'", exhorted Mourão.
When asked what would need to happen in the meetings scheduled for November 19th and December 10th to prevent the general strike, the union leader responded: if the government presents "a document" similar to what was recently submitted, the protest could escalate.
"Perhaps what we need to consider is scheduling two days of strike instead of just one", he admitted.
Government Response and Negotiation Stance
The general strike was announced on November 8th by the CGTP Secretary-General following the march against the labor package on Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon. Last Thursday, UGT unanimously approved the decision to proceed in convergence with CGTP, including favorable votes from Social Democrat Workers.
In a written statement on Friday, the office of the Minister of Labor guaranteed the intention to negotiate labor legislation changes with all social partners.
"The Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security has been negotiating since the beginning of September with social partners, particularly UGT, the draft law for labor legislation reform, Work XXI", emphasized the Ministry.
"Throughout the entire negotiation process, it has always prioritized discussing proposed measures within the Social Concertation framework," it continued, stressing that "it neither confirms nor denies any of the changes to the initial proposal advanced by various media outlets in recent hours".
Key Changes in Government Proposal
The statement came after newspaper Público reported that the new proposal submitted to UGT contained changes in various matters, particularly regarding dismissals, vacations, and breastfeeding.
According to the newspaper, the government would pave the way for restoring the three attendance-linked vacation days abolished during troika intervention, abandoning the possibility for workers to request up to two additional vacation days with loss of remuneration.
The government would also retreat from simplifying dismissals in medium-sized companies. The government's draft proposal envisions revising "more than a hundred" articles of the Labor Code.
Additionally, the government intends to increase compensation for collective dismissal from 14 to 15 days and adjusts the proposal allowing vacation and Christmas bonuses to be paid in twelfth installments, making this possibility dependent on an agreement between worker and employer rather than just the "expressed will of the worker".
Specific Labor Condition Adjustments
Regarding breastfeeding, the government maintains the two-year limit for the daily work schedule reduction of two hours. However, unlike the initial proposal, medical certification is only required if breastfeeding continues beyond the child's first year, and should be presented every six months in such cases.
The intention to eliminate bereavement leave for pregnancy loss remains, framing it within pregnancy interruption leave. Thus, under the new proposal, the mother would "always" have the right to 14-30 days of leave, while the father would have the right to miss up to three consecutive days.
Simultaneously, the government plans to introduce continuous working hours in the private sector for workers with children under 12 years old or, regardless of age, with disabilities, chronic illness, or cancer.
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