António José Seguro, set to assume the presidency, prioritizes health in his first year and has indicated he will veto any labor legislation changes proposed by the government if they lack consensus in Social Concertation.

The Government has actively engaged in revising labour law, presenting a draft bill on 24 July and reconvening the Permanent Commission for Social Dialogue in September. Following several meetings with business confederations and the UGT, a significant meeting is scheduled for 3 March to further discuss the labour law reform, indicating ongoing negotiations and collaboration among stakeholders.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Lisbon and Porto to protest against the government's proposed changes to the labour law, known as the 'Work XXI' reform. Led by the CGTP union, the protests highlighted concerns that the reforms would negatively impact workers' rights. CGTP's Secretary-General, Tiago Oliveira, called for the government to withdraw the labour package, emphasizing its detrimental effects on the workforce.

The Labour Package represents a regression to 19th-century laws, raising concerns about its implications for modern policy and rights.

The revision of the Labour Code is viewed as an unforced error, raising concerns about its implications for workers' rights and policy effectiveness.

The issue of fake recibos verdes is a critical concern that transcends political ideologies, emphasizing the need for labor justice. Addressing this problem is essential for ensuring fair labor practices and protecting workers' rights.

The article critiques the Government's Labour Package, titled Work XXI, arguing it regresses rather than innovates in the realm of work. It emphasizes the need for the Labour Code to adapt to the increasing frequency of extreme weather phenomena, advocating for provisions that protect outdoor workers and clarify absence policies during public calamities. The author calls for a Labour Code that prioritizes safety and preparedness for the challenges of the 21st century, rather than the outdated framework proposed by the Government.

Since the end of January, the country has been dealing with the aftermath of consecutive storms that have caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure. In response, companies facing crises may require employees to assume different roles temporarily. However, businesses must be cautious about the implications this may have on insurance and labor laws.

Autoeuropa workers have approved a new labour agreement that will remain in effect until June 2027. The agreement includes salary increases of 2.8% this month and an additional 2.5% next October, along with enhanced social benefits and attendance bonuses.

The upcoming presidential election on February 8 presents significant challenges for the elected candidate, including addressing the impacts of climate change, such as severe storms, and making critical decisions regarding labor law reforms.

The UGT's 70 proposals for labour reform show significant divergence from the Government's stance, particularly on severance compensation, working time banks, and the reinstatement of illegally dismissed workers.

The UGT has submitted a detailed counterproposal for the revision of labour laws, highlighting key 'red lines' on various issues including hours banks, fixed-term contracts, and collective bargaining. The union asserts that the current proposals are unacceptable and outlines its stance on critical topics such as dismissals, outsourcing, and union activities within companies.

Lidl has been fined for unlawfully dismissing a warehouse operator who was found smoking hash during a break. The supermarket chain failed to conduct tests on the substance or the employee, despite having the capability to do so, raising questions about their adherence to labor laws and public safety protocols.

UGT has drafted a counterproposal containing nearly 100 amendments to the Government’s labour package and plans to submit it to the Minister of Labour after the presidential election second round on 8 February. The document is framed as a comprehensive alternative aimed at reshaping the proposed reforms to strengthen workers’ rights, legal protections and workplace standards, and to force substantive negotiation with ministers over the direction of labour law change.

A parliamentary move — despite abstentions from PSD and CDS-PP — brings Portugal closer to lengthening the initial parental leave available to working parents. The new episode of the 'Ao Trabalho!' podcast examines that development alongside other labour‑market highlights, offering concise analysis of labour, social-security and employment-law developments every Thursday.

PCP secretary-general Paulo Raimundo publicly challenged centre‑right and right‑wing parties (PSD, CDS, Chega and IL) to organise a demonstration in support of the new labour package, saying he wanted to “see what will happen to them”. Speaking in Porto, Raimundo called to “defeat once and for all” the labour measures and pledged “one more push” on 28 February. The provocation is a deliberate political tactic to test and expose the popular backing for the reforms and to place opponents on the defensive ahead of planned mobilisation.

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.

The Supreme Administrative Court (STA) ruled in favour of two scientists in appeals against the University of Lisbon, ordering the university to open public competitions for career entry once the maximum term of their fixed‑term contracts expired. Two separate rulings — including one dated 8 January concerning the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) — require competitions to be launched within 30 days at ISA and at the Faculty of Letters, overturning earlier judgments. The decisions set a legal precedent on academic precarity and fixed‑term employment, with potential implications for higher education labour practices and reform of recruitment procedures in Portuguese universities.

In a document submitted to the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security at a bilateral meeting on 3 September, CGTP proposes revoking banked hours and widening access to flexible working arrangements. The union seeks to extend flexible hours to parents with children up to 16 years old and to introduce limits on fixed‑term contracts. If adopted, the measures would shift scheduling power toward workers with family responsibilities and constrain employer use of temporary hours arrangements.

A citizens' initiative that gathered more than 42,000 signatures has forced Parliament to reopen debate on reforming initial parental leave. The proposal — to extend leave from the current 120/150 days to 180/210 days (effectively six months) at 100% pay regardless of how it is shared between parents — will be reconsidered in the Assembly of the Republic after an earlier attempt was nullified by the dissolution of the Assembly and the fall of the Government in March 2025. An earlier related extension was approved on 27 September 2024, but procedural developments and the renewed petition have brought the issue back onto the legislative agenda.

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 latest episode of the weekly podcast 'Ao trabalho!' examines lingering uncertainty over tuition fee refunds and the implications for pay awards that recognise qualifications. Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento’s response on the pay-award question is discussed alongside fast-moving items on labour policy, employment law and the state budget, with analysis of what these developments mean for workers and expats. The short, under-five-minute episode aims to distil key takeaways and policy consequences for those following workplace rights and public spending.

The Union of Workers of Large Supermarkets, Warehouses and Services of Portugal (STGSSP) has accused Revolut of pressuring and 'exploiting' around 1,200 employees in Portugal by imposing 'unrealistic' productivity metrics, after receiving multiple complaints about the digital bank’s labour practices. Revolut rejects the allegations, saying it complies with Portuguese labour law. The dispute highlights tensions between fintech productivity models and workplace rights, and could prompt closer scrutiny from unions and regulators.