Latest news and stories about employment in legal in Portugal for expats and residents.
After 53 meetings, the Government, the four business confederations, and the UGT have finally reached a 'construction level' for the labour law reform proposal, which requires each organisation to consult its internal bodies. This is what the trade union centre led by Mário Mourão will do this Thursday, in a...
The government has amended its labour law reform proposal, abandoning plans to extend fixed-term contract durations while reintroducing specific criteria for youth employment contracts following negotiations with the UGT.
The Portuguese government plans to reduce criminal penalties for employers who fail to report worker contracts to Social Security, proposing the removal of prison sentences and a significant reduction in maximum fines.
Minister of Labour Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho convenes with social partners for the 53rd time to negotiate contentious labour law reforms, including contract terms, dismissal policies, and working hours.
Negotiations between the government, UGT, and employers regarding labour law reforms have concluded without an agreement, with a potential consensus delayed until after Easter.
Negotiations on labour law reform remain deadlocked after eight months, with the individual time bank proposal emerging as a key point of contention between the government, businesses, and unions.
For the co-author of the 2021 Green Paper on the Future of Work, the way the labour package has been negotiated 'weakens the system'.
The UGT national secretariat decided today to reject the latest version of the labour law reform proposal. Despite the progress made over the last nine months, critical issues (such as the individual time bank and non-reinstatement after dismissals) continue to prevent an agreement between this trade union centre and the confederations.
The leader of the CIP challenged the UGT to 'indicate what the points are, and what it intends' to reach a final agreement on the labour law revision that has been dragging on since July 2025.
The UGT meets this Thursday morning to analyse and vote on the final proposal for changes to labour legislation. The document has already been approved by employer confederations. Just yesterday, social partners met with the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, to discuss this labour package.
After nine months of negotiations, will there be an agreement between social partners regarding the labour law reform? The Government still believes in this possibility, business confederations have already given their approval, and the UGT will decide this Thursday whether or not to align. Despite progress on several points, there are still...
The minister states that the adjustments made during negotiations do not fundamentally alter the labour reform.
Financial costs associated with this measure are exclusively covered by the IEFP.
With 24 hours left until a new attempt to reach an agreement on the labour package, the UGT admits it may accept the hours bank, but has set specific demands.
Either we treat motherhood as a central pillar of the economy or we will continue in a hypocritical game, with “protective” laws and closed doors.
The Minister of Labour defended again this Tuesday three measures of the labour law reform that have generated the most opposition from trade unions: outsourcing, the individual time bank, and the brake on reinstatement following dismissals deemed unlawful. Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho highlighted that the country today has a...
In a joint statement sent to newsrooms this Sunday, the four employer confederations stated that the UGT acted in bad faith by deliberately ignoring changes made to the labour law proposal during the last meeting. They also noted that they have lost “trust”.
Following the UGT's rejection of changes to labour law, employers have indicated they are willing to return to negotiations, provided they are serious. The president of the CIP – Confederation of Portuguese Business stated this Thursday that they could return to the negotiating table, but warned that there have already been over 50 meetings and that nine months have passed...
The UGT national secretariat meets this Thursday, the 9th, to decide whether the trade union centre, led by Mário Mourão, will approve the proposed changes to labour legislation within the Social Concertation framework. The decision on a potential agreement is on the agenda for today's meeting, which includes UGT secretary-general Mário Mourão, president Lucinda Dâmaso, and 68 elected members. Following eight months of negotiations, the Minister of Labour, Rosário Palma Ramalho, has requested that social partners consult their internal bodies regarding the proposal, with a plenary Social Concertation meeting to be scheduled soon. The government has been meeting separately with the UGT and four business confederations, excluding the CGTP, which has criticised the process as undemocratic. The latest government proposal includes extending the duration of fixed-term and uncertain-term contracts, removing the mandatory reinstatement of workers in cases of unlawful dismissal, and reintroducing individual working hour banks, while dropping the simplification of dismissals for just cause.
The decision regarding a potential agreement is one of the items on the meeting's agenda.
Until Thursday, it will be necessary to 'wait serenely' for a conclusion on the labour reform. Employers have already given their 'yes', and the UGT will decide after a 'definitive' consultation with its National Secretariat.
After more than four hours of meetings with the four business confederations and the UGT, the Minister of Labour announced that it was possible to reach a 'constructive level' regarding the labour law reform proposal, which now requires 'each structure to consult its bodies and associates'. The trade union centre...
Social partners concluded their 53rd meeting without reaching an agreement on labour reform, in what is expected to be the final technical session before either a compromise is reached or negotiations are permanently broken off. The deadlock hinges on the position the UGT will take and the Government's final willingness to concede on 'red lines' identified by the trade union. The draft version of the labour law amendments resulting from this meeting will be presented by the UGT to its national secretariat this Thursday, the 9th, where Secretary-General Mário Mourão will be mandated to approve or reject the deal. If rejected, the Government's document will proceed to a parliamentary vote, which Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has indicated should happen 'soon'. Rejection appears likely, as Labour Minister Maria do Rosário Palma Carvalho has insisted on several 'red lines' from the initial July 2025 negotiations, despite 60 points of consensus and over 20 concessions by the Executive. Key sticking points include the individual 'time bank' system, the possibility of non-reinstatement for unfair dismissal (provided compensation is paid), and the use of outsourcing after layoffs. The CGTP remains excluded from these negotiations, with Secretary-General Tiago Rodrigues accusing the Government of an 'anti-democratic and anti-constitutional' stance.
The Minister of Labour meets today with the UGT and business confederations regarding changes to labour law. This week, the trade union centre will convene its national secretariat to analyse the changes.
The Minister of Labour is meeting this Monday, the 6th, with the UGT trade union and business confederations to discuss changes to labour law. Key points of contention include restrictions on outsourcing, the return of individual time banks, contract durations, and the reinstatement of workers in cases of unfair dismissal. While the government insists on extending fixed-term contract deadlines and removing mandatory reinstatement for unfair dismissals, the UGT maintains these are 'red lines'. The government has been holding separate meetings with the UGT and employer groups, excluding the CGTP, which has requested an urgent meeting with the President of the Republic to protest its exclusion from the negotiation process. Despite the lack of a final agreement, the government has signalled that the proposal will soon be submitted to Parliament.
Restrictions on outsourcing, the individual bank of hours, contract terms, and the reinstatement of workers in cases of unlawful dismissal are some of the changes still under discussion.
The government insists on extending the duration of fixed-term and uncertain-term contracts, preventing the reinstatement of workers in cases of unlawful dismissal, reintroducing the individual bank of hours, and revoking the group bank of hours.
The government, the UGT trade union and employer representatives resume negotiations regarding labour legislation.
The Government's proposal was presented on 24 July 2025 as a “deep” revision of labour legislation and is still being discussed with social partners.
