“Não é só falar, é falar e ouvir. O Governo não tem querido ouvir os trabalhadores e ontem continuou a não querer ouvir os trabalhadores quando o ministro Leitão Amaro disse que a adesão à greve foi inexpressiva”, remarked the Livres-backed candidate in Porto during a dinner with supporters.
When questioned about the possibility of an agreement, Jorge Pinto responded affirmatively, but reminded that UGT “was very clear when it said it does not exclude a new general strike,” emphasizing that “tremendous attacks, unlike anything seen in decades, are at stake against workers’ rights and their families.”
Criticizing the Government and the minister of Labor for “not wanting to listen to the Portuguese,” the candidate asserted that the President of the Republic “has to be on the side of Portuguese people and needs to listen to them.”
“No one from the Government has yet explained the reasons for this urgency and these changes,” continued Jorge Pinto, referring to the 100 measures of the disputed Labor Package, noting that Portugal is “the second country in Europe with the most precarious workers.”
The minister of Labor summoned UGT for a meeting next Tuesday to continue negotiations on the Government’s draft labor law reform, the ministry informed Lusa.
“Despite the general strike that interrupted the negotiating process that was underway, the minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security convened UGT for a meeting next Tuesday at 5 PM to proceed with negotiations,” stated the minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security in a note sent to Lusa.
The call comes a day after the general strike called by CGTP and UGT against the labor law changes proposed by the Government, which are under discussion in Social Concertation.
