The CGTP and UGT unions have called for a general strike on December 11 in response to the government’s proposed labor law reform.

The CGTP’s plan, revealed today, proposes actions at 10 a.m. including gatherings and demonstrations in Braga, Lisbon, and Viana do Castelo.

Half an hour later, further actions are set to commence in Guarda and Setúbal, along with three more in the Azores (local time, one hour ahead in Lisbon), specifically in Ponta Delgada, Angra, and Horta.

At 11 a.m., protests will begin in Beja, Coimbra, and Santarém.

Actions in Faro, Guarda, Portalegre, and Madeira are scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m.

Events are also planned for 2:30 p.m. in Évora and Lisbon, where a demonstration will take place between Rossio and the Assembleia da República.

The union indicated that further actions will begin at 3 p.m. in Aveiro (two), Porto, and Setúbal.

At 4 p.m., a gathering is also planned in Viseu, followed by another at 4:30 p.m. in Leiria.

Following the general strike announcement, the Ministry of Labor presented the UGT with a new proposal, containing some changes to the draft presented in July. However, the union stated it was “very little” to call off the strike.

The proposal includes concessions on issues such as simplifying dismissals in medium-sized companies or reducing required training hours in microenterprises. It also opens the possibility of reinstating three vacation days linked to attendance abolished during the ‘troika’ era, among other changes. However, it retains several measures heavily criticized by the unions, such as reinstating individual hours banks and revoking the rule restricting outsourcing in case of dismissals.

The government has argued that the strike is “inopportune” and politically motivated.