Latest news and stories about general strike in Portugal for expats and residents.
The work stoppage is scheduled for Friday. Ana Paula Martins acknowledges progress on some of the SEP's demands, but warns that the solutions “require time”.
Health Minister Ana Paula Martins admitted the government cannot meet all demands from the Nurses' Union (Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses) ahead of a planned general strike this Friday. The minister stated that while work is ongoing on some issues, the government must focus on resolving systemic problems within the National Health Service. Patients with scheduled appointments on Friday should contact their health units to check for potential cancellations or delays.
Ana Paula Martins is Portugal's Health Minister (Ministra da Saúde), and in this story she expressed concern about 'untruths' circulating regarding the National Health Service. She also said that waiting times for initial assessments during the current flu season have fallen this year, a point meant to reassure patients relying on public care.
The Portuguese Nurses' Union (Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses) is the main trade union representing nurses in Portugal. It announced a strike for 20 March 2026, which can disrupt hospital routines and appointments in the public health service, so those relying on public care should check services and plan accordingly.
The PCP parliamentary leader sees no other alternatives for the labour package presented by the Government and says that António José Seguro should 'remember' the general strike when making decisions on this matter.
Medical staff, nurses, and administrative workers at the Lisboa Ocidental Local Health Unit (ULSLO) are threatening industrial action following the disappearance of thousands of overtime hours from the computer system. Unions representing the staff have scheduled a meeting with the administration for the 19th to address long-standing issues, including unpaid overtime, career progression delays, and failures in performance evaluation systems. If negotiations fail, workers have approved a motion to proceed with a strike. Meanwhile, the Health Inspectorate is investigating the unit's Human Resources department regarding the legality of recent hiring practices.
The secretary-general of the CGTP trade union federation accused the Government of a “democratic attack” for excluding the union from discussions on labour law reforms. Tiago Oliveira stated the process is “riddled with disrespect” and vowed that the struggle will continue. While dozens of protesters gathered outside the Ministry of Labour, the Government indicated it would be available for a separate meeting with the CGTP later. The union leader also announced plans to request an urgent meeting with the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, and noted that the union's National Council will meet on Wednesday to discuss further forms of protest.
Rui Lázaro, president of STEPH, has toughened his stance and is demanding clarification from the ministry regarding who is in charge of INEM. In statements to CNN Portugal, the union leader justifies the move towards a strike due to the institute's management failing to honour agreements and accuses the INEM president of 'stripping powers' from technicians over the last five months.
A CGTP delegation will head to the Ministry of Labour on Monday, at the scheduled time of the meeting between the Government, UGT, and the four business confederations.
A CGTP delegation will travel to the Ministry of Labour on Monday, at the scheduled time of the meeting between the Government, UGT, and the four business confederations.
JN reports that the current government has faced more social unrest than its predecessors, with 785 strike notices during Montenegro's tenure compared to Costa and Passos Coelho. Meanwhile, Público highlights Portugal's role in a major Brazilian pension fraud scandal involving businessman António Carlos Camilo Antunes, with political implications reaching the families of Lula da Silva and Jair Bolsonaro. Additionally, Correio da Manhã reports that Prime Minister Montenegro must disclose his client list following a Constitutional Court ruling, and warns of significant fuel price hikes next week due to Middle East tensions.
Tiago Oliveira wants to include the country's “largest trade union centre” in the meeting regarding the labour package this Monday. He advocates for a discussion on “the proposals of those who work” rather than “those of the people who order others to work”.
The demonstration called by the Frente Comum gathered around 500 people in Lisbon this Friday.
Professionals at Braga Hospital are on strike. The operating theatre is the most affected area.
Some schools were closed due to the strike. The union reports that APDJ is going through a “difficult situation” and is hiring workers without informing them of the association's financial status.
Workers at the news agency held a partial strike this Thursday in protest against the new statutes, which they claim endanger the independence of Lusa.
The Lusa agency has stopped. There were four hours of protest in front of the Government headquarters.
Journalists from the Lusa news agency are holding protests in Lisbon and Porto at 12:00.
Daniel Martins, from the S.TO.P board, says that more than one hundred employees are at the doors of the Vale de Milhaços school cluster headquarters in Seixal to demand better working conditions.
As a protest against changes decided unilaterally by the Government, a partial strike is scheduled for this Thursday, along with worker demonstrations in Lisbon and Porto.
Workers at the Portuguese news agency Lusa are striking from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to protest against recent restructuring and a new governance model approved by the government. The unions criticize the process as lacking transparency and argue that the new statutes threaten journalistic independence, potentially conflicting with the Portuguese Constitution and European media regulations. Concerns include plans for layoffs without clear strategies for strengthening teams and doubts about the independence of the agency if its headquarters move to the RTP building. The strike follows weeks of internal protests, including resolutions and demonstrations, with unions emphasizing the importance of maintaining editorial independence amid these changes. The government defends the reforms.
Labour Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho has explained the exclusion of the CGTP from recent discussions on new labour legislation, claiming they chose not to negotiate. The CGTP refutes this, asserting they have proposed measures to address workers' rights and precarious employment. They criticize the government's approach, suggesting it favors employers and undermines social dialogue. Key proposals from the CGTP include reducing the workweek, increasing vacation days, and improving job security for vulnerable workers.
The CGTP trade union centre has called for the withdrawal of the proposed labour package, citing widespread dissatisfaction among workers as demonstrated by a recent general strike. Despite the pushback, Seguro has indicated that he will not implement the changes in their current form.
Lisbon firefighters' union says the Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa (RSBL) is in 'utter disarray', citing delays in promotions, organisational failures and that more than 10% of operational personnel lack proper uniforms. Staff are considering issuing a pre-strike notice as a warning that industrial action could follow if complaints over safety, logistics and career progression are not resolved. The union warns these problems undermine emergency response and public safety and is calling for urgent management and municipal intervention.
Following a meeting with Prime Minister Montenegro, CGTP general secretary Tiago Oliveira said the Government will not withdraw proposed amendments to the labour law and announced the trade union centre will convene its national council on Thursday to discuss new forms of industrial action. The CGTP insists it will only be satisfied by a complete withdrawal of the labour package and has not ruled out strikes, saying “the struggle will continue” as it considers coordinated responses to what it calls an attack on workers’ rights.
The coordinator of INEM’s Workers’ Committee acknowledged failings in how minimum-service requirements were communicated during the late‑2024 strike, saying the institution’s president had conveyed that minimum services were not required during overtime hours. The admission raises operational and public‑safety concerns, highlights potential legal and labour‑relations implications, and underscores the need for clearer protocols, stronger internal communication and contingency planning to protect emergency healthcare delivery during industrial action.
