The secretary-general of CGTP announced over the weekend a general strike for December 11, at the end of the national march against the labor package in Lisbon. The UGT also announced plans to propose on Thursday to its national secretariat the ratification of this joint strike action.
What is the impact for workers joining the general strike?
In a series of questions and answers about a past general strike from 2010, the UGT explained the following:
- Regarding the employment contract – “The strike suspends the employment contract, meaning the worker is no longer bound by duties of subordination and attendance (art. 536 of the Labor Code), losing only the right to pay and meal allowances“;
- Regarding seniority – “The strike period counts towards seniority, with the worker not being disadvantaged in career progression (art. 536 of the Labor Code).”
It is also important to highlight that the “employer cannot prevent a worker from striking, nor can they coerce, discriminate against, or harm a worker for striking,” according to the UGT.
“Such actions by the employer constitute a very serious offense (art. 540 of the Labor Code), allowing the worker to claim in court that they were subject to threats or discrimination, provided there is evidence of such behavior,” reads the same document.
CGTP and UGT unite for the first time since the troika
The general strike was announced on Saturday by the secretary-general of CGTP, Tiago Oliveira, at the end of the national march against the labor package in Lisbon.
“With decisions already made or in the final decision-making process by many union structures, we managed to establish convergence for a general strike on December 11,” he said.
The last time the two main unions called for a joint general strike was over ten years ago, during the troika period.
This general strike has been called in protest against the government’s draft proposal for revising labor legislation, which is being debated with social partners and includes changes to “more than a hundred” articles of the Labor Code.
The UGT’s secretary-general criticized the labor package at the end of October, claiming that “the discourse on salary appreciation was often replaced by talk of companies, companies, companies and productivity,” a stance he believes is “reflected in the draft labor reform legislation.”
Mário Mourão reiterated that the UGT “always prioritized dialogue and negotiation” and remains at the negotiation table, but issued a warning: “When choosing between a bad agreement or a street fight, we prefer the street fight.”
The proposed changes – labeled “Work XXI,” which the government introduced on July 24 as a “comprehensive” review of labor legislation – aim to address areas such as parental leave, flexible work, employee training, and new rules on essential services during strikes.
A march against the labor package organized by CGTP brought thousands of workers down Liberty Avenue in Lisbon on Saturday, protesting the changes to labor law proposed by the government of Luís Montenegro.
The secretary-general of CGTP announced a general strike for December 11 against the government’s labor package, calling it a “brutal attack.” The UGT union is also joining this strike. And what did the politicians say?
Maria Gouveia | 10:11 – 09/11/2025
