In the interest of stability in labor legislation that remains consistent over time, I present a proposal and a challenge: discard this preliminary draft and start anew, genuinely listening to the unions, companies, workers, families, and the scientific community,” urged Isabel Mendes Lopes.
With less than a week until the general strike scheduled for December 11, the preliminary draft of the labor law reform has dominated the biweekly debate with the prime minister in the Assembly of the Republic, a topic once again highlighted by Livre.
Beginning by questioning how the Government, particularly Luís Montenegro, demands stability “while making the lives of millions of workers and families precarious and unstable,” Isabel Mendes Lopes accused the executive of bringing an outdated and arrogant proposal to social dialogue.
“It was the Government, with this untimely document and this arrogant and incomprehensible attitude, that led to the scheduling of this strike and shows no signs of retreat,” accused the Livre deputy.
In response to the challenge posed, the prime minister countered the accusations, stating that the proposed revision was presented transparently and “is not finalized.”
“It is in the possession of all social partners. We have already shown openness to negotiate the terms of all articles on the table, but this does not prevent us from defending our position,” he reiterated.
Addressing the challenge from the Livre deputy, Luís Montenegro argued that “this is pure and simple arrogance” and described the request as a political hypocrisy where those who present their ideas with a willingness to negotiate are deemed arrogant, while “those who say ‘Your ideas aren’t worth anything, throw them in the trash’ are seen as icons of democratic tolerance.”
Besides the labor package, Livre’s intervention also highlighted the housing crisis and questioned the prime minister about the emergency housing fund, a long-advocated proposal by the party.
“It is in the legislative circuit,” clarified Luís Montenegro, pointing to the first quarter of next year for a set of new measures to address the problem within the scope of urban leasing, indivisible inheritances, and the creation of the emergency fund.
