The General Union of Workers (UGT) is set to file a general strike notice this Thursday, November 20, for a strike on December 11. This industrial action is being organized in coordination with the CGTP, which submitted its notice earlier on Monday.
The government has indicated it will grant the UGT additional time to review the newly proposed amendments to the labor law, as announced recently.
“The UGT requested more time to analyze the preliminary draft of labor legislation reform and to evaluate the amendments we proposed during the last meeting,” stated the Minister of Labor, Solidarity, and Social Security, speaking to journalists after a bilateral meeting with the UGT held yesterday.
Given “the significance of this dossier” and the fact that this union center is “a very strong partner,” the government “will allow the UGT sufficient time for this analysis,” the minister added.
“We have no reason to refuse, despite the atmosphere heading towards a general strike. Therefore, we will grant the UGT the time it requested, and then we will resume,” indicated Rosário Palma Ramalho, while refraining from specifying a concrete deadline.
UGT applauded the “greater openness”
The UGT’s Secretary-General, Mário Mourão, praised the government’s “greater openness” in the new proposal and assured that the union remains open to negotiations, albeit only after the general strike.
“Tomorrow we will submit the strike notice with our union leaders, and until December 11, and then on December 12, we will be available to sit at the table,” he explained.
Today, the UGT Secretary-General announced that the union would submit the general strike notice on Thursday and said he expects the government to present “new measures” during today’s meeting.
Lusa | 17:50 – 19/11/2025
“Dialogue has no expiration like yogurt”
In response, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs emphasized in an interview with Renascença and Público that dialogue with trade unions “has no deadline” and pledges full availability on the part of the government.
Despite this, Abreu Amorim criticized the unions’ “radical initiative” to call a general strike. “Negotiations have been ongoing practically since July, when the document was presented. This government will not abandon dialogue; therefore, it considers this general strike not only premature but also a somewhat extreme attempt by some to end dialogue. A general strike is not called amid negotiations. The intention must be to end the dialogue. They won’t succeed; dialogue will continue. Dialogue doesn’t have an expiration like yogurt does. It’s a complete and enduring predisposition. Until when, I don’t know,” the minister stated.
The latest reactions
Following the meeting between the government and the UGT, leaders of the main opposition parties responded to the remarks made to journalists by both the union and the administration.
Chega’s president, André Ventura, considered that the UGT is being “heavily manipulated by the PS” regarding the proposed labor law changes from the PSD/CDS-PP government.
“I get the clear impression that the UGT is being heavily manipulated by the PS. Frankly. I’m sorry to say it this way, but it seems to me that they’re not concerned with defending workers, mothers, job security, but instead with pleasing the PS. And that’s troubling,” criticized André Ventura.
For his part, José Luís Carneiro from the PS confirmed that the parliamentary group’s meeting with the union, as requested by the UGT – which also held meetings this morning with Chega and Livre – has yet to speak to the lawmakers, but emphasized that the reasons for joining the general strike “are public.”
Faced with persistent questions on the labor package, the PS leader reminded that back on August 3, precisely at a meeting with the UGT, he warned about the “seriousness of the proposals” from the government, which he described as “highly inhumane” and challenging essential values for protecting young people, working women, families, and the most vulnerable.
Carneiro declined to comment on the Chega leader’s accusation that the UGT is being “heavily manipulated by the PS.”
