The Coordinating Committee of Workers (CCT) has issued a statement expressing strong opposition to the closure of the refinery in Leça da Palmeira, located in the municipality of Matosinhos in the Porto district. The organization described the closure as “a crime against the people and the country,” emphasizing the urgent “need for the reindustrialization of the land.”
The CCT also highlighted the significance of ensuring the country’s “energy autonomy and sovereignty.”
The refinery’s closure was announced by Galp in December 2020 and was carried out the following year, a decision that faced considerable criticism from union bodies.
In May 2021, Galp initiated a collective redundancy process affecting approximately 150 refinery workers, ultimately reaching agreements with 40% of the approximately 400 employees.
In 2023, it was revealed that the site will host an International Blue Biotechnology Center in collaboration with the Oceano Azul Foundation, following earlier announcements of an innovation city dedicated to “energies of the future.”
