The Chega party’s request was presented in the parliamentary committee on Labor, Social Security, and Inclusion and was approved with votes in favor from Chega and the Liberal Initiative, while the PSD and PS abstained.
The request entails a hearing with the Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, the General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers – National Inter-Union (CGTP-IN), the General Union of Workers (UGT), and the CIP – Portuguese Business Confederation, regarding the government’s announcement of its intention to review the Labor Strike Law.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro reiterated earlier this month the intention to revisit labor legislation, including the strike law, with social partners to establish minimum services that ensure “greater proportionality” among rights.
Luís Montenegro did not wish to elaborate on the proposal—which will still be “subject to negotiation and dialogue with partners”—but only the objectives the government aims to achieve.
“The objective we intend to achieve is to have a legislative solution that ensures greater proportionality in exercising rights and guarantees that in circumstances where minimum services, due to legal vicissitudes, are not possible, they can become possible to ensure this proportion,” he stated.
On Monday, the CGTP accused the government of preparing “an assault on labor rights” and warned that if the executive proceeds with proposals that limit the right to strike, they do not rule out calling large-scale protests, including a general strike.
