The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, stated on Thursday that there are “signs” of “dialogue” between the Government and the trade union federations UGT and CGTP, which could prevent the general strike planned for December 11.
“There have been, in recent days, signs – and I consider them positive signs – from UGT of maintaining a disposition for dialogue, which I think extends to other partners within social dialogue. From the Government’s side, there are also some signs in that direction,” he said to journalists upon his arrival in Monaco.
For Marcelo, these signs indicate that “there is time and space to continue talking,” but he emphasized that the “general strike is a form of demonstration and pressure from the trade union entities.”
It is recalled that on November 9, a day after the announcement of the general strike, the President of the Republic considered that the strike was called when “the procession is still in the churchyard” regarding the discussion of the labor package.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, today considered that the general strike announced for December 11 was called when “the procession is still in the churchyard” regarding the discussion of the labor package.
Lusa | 15:04 – 09/11/2025
“It makes sense to be discussed in social dialogue, it makes sense to be discussed with the parties,” thus “it is a matter where the procession is still in the churchyard,” stated the head of state in comments to journalists.
The President underlined that the country will wait for the process to be completed, expecting that this Government proposal “will only be discussed in Parliament at the end of this year, probably only next year.”
The CGTP and UGT have decided to call a general strike for December 11, in response to the Government’s draft bill for labor law reform.
The strike called by the two trade union federations comes in reaction to the Government’s proposed labor law reform, which includes increasing the duration of fixed-term contracts, the return of the individual working hours account, lifting the ban on outsourcing after dismissals, revising parental leave regulations, and strengthening mandatory minimum services during strikes, among other proposed changes.
This will be the first strike to bring together the two trade union federations, CGTP and UGT, since June 2013, when Portugal was under troika intervention.
