Ana Pires, from the Executive Commission of the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), expressed expectations that “thousands of workers from workplaces across the country” will participate in Saturday’s demonstration and hopes “this mobilization […] extends to families, retirees, and pensioners”.
The demonstration aims to express “complete and total disagreement” with the draft revision of labor legislation presented by the Government, which is being discussed with social partners, and to demand the executive “withdraw this package from discussion”, stated the leader of this union’s protest action.
In Porto, the gathering is scheduled for 10:30 AM, starting at Marquês Square and ending at D. João I Square, while in Lisbon it is set for 3:00 PM, beginning at Marquês de Pombal and concluding at Restauradores.
“In sectors where there is a prevalence of employees working on weekends,” the unions associated with the CGTP “have issued strike notices to allow employees who are working to leave their workplaces and participate in this important protest action,” added Ana Pires, mentioning sectors like commerce and services, industry, hospitality, and catering as examples.
This is the case with the Federation of Metalworking, Chemical, Electrical, Pharmaceutical, Pulp, Paper, Graphic Arts, Energy, and Mines Unions (Fiequimetal), which has issued a strike notice effective from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Saturday.
The CGTP has been insisting that the Government’s draft represents “a genuine setback” in workers’ rights and claims that some proposed changes are unconstitutional.
The most criticized measures by this union include those related to dismissals, the return of individual time banks, changes to temporary contracts, and alterations to the flexible working hours regime.
“The message we want to send to the Government is to withdraw this labor package,” stated the trade union leader, admitting the possibility of adopting new forms of protest.
“If the Government insists on the current path, attacking workers’ rights […], we will be here to offer the necessary resistance,” she added.
During the last social dialogue meeting on September 10, the Government committed to presenting a new version of the draft, “with developments” on matters related to family and parenthood, as indicated by the UGT and CIP.
