Latest news and stories about labour law in government in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
The war in the Middle East and the resulting energy crisis are topics that will be at the centre of the fortnightly debate. It is expected that changes to labour law will also be addressed by the opposition in the Assembly of the Republic.
Dozens of people demonstrated outside the Ministry of Labour in Lisbon
Education Minister Fernando Alexandre announced that a major restructuring has reduced the ministry's staff by 50% and will save €50 million annually. The reform consolidated 18 entities into seven, focusing on the digitalization of human resources and administrative services. Parents and students should note that these changes aim to improve the efficiency of the National Education System.
Around fifty teachers from the António Arroio Artistic School in Lisbon are protesting this Tuesday, March 17, against precarious employment contracts, with a similar demonstration taking place in Porto. “António Arroio and Soares dos Reis in the same fight” is one of the signs visible today in front of the artistic school in Lisbon, where teachers of specialized visual and audiovisual arts are gathered. At issue is the precarious professional situation of about 200 teachers from the country's two artistic schools who have been teaching subjects like cinema or performing arts for years but remain without a recruitment group that would allow them to obtain permanent tenure, Fenprof secretary-general José Feliciano Costa told Lusa.
There is optimism regarding the labour package. Seguro changed the day of the meeting with Montenegro to foster “strategic cooperation”. Trump says “I can do whatever I want”, but has no solution for Hormuz.
The article covers various recent events in Portugal, including political tensions between Oeiras and Amadora over territorial disputes, with Oeiras' mayor Isaltino accusing Amadora of invasion and threatening to build a “wall.” It highlights a family in Lisbon with four minors left homeless due to lack of housing solutions. Additionally, Portugal's support for Ukraine is reaffirmed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, emphasizing Portugal’s continued backing amidst ongoing conflicts. Other notable topics include local incidents such as a school meal controversy at Salesianos de Manique, and economic discussions about labor laws indicating common ground among political parties. The article also mentions Portugal's participation in the EuroDreams lottery, where no winners were declared but some prizes were awarded to Portuguese participants.
The webpage provides a broad overview of current news related to Portugal, covering political, economic, and social issues. Key highlights include ongoing debates about labor laws, with ministers emphasizing common ground; a family of four in Lisbon losing their housing without a solution; and a controversy involving Salesianos de Manique over food standards in a school. Additionally, there are reports on the decline in house sales at auctions, political tensions between Oeiras and Amadora, and local sports coverage about the Sporting-Bodo/Glimt match. The site also features international news, such as the Iran conflict and Middle East tensions, alongside cultural updates like the release of a new poetry book.
One week was enough to change the course of negotiations on the labour package. Partners are no longer at odds and are making a new effort to “align” the points that almost broke off the dialogue.
Lisbon is among the capitals with the highest public transport prices relative to income. The front page of DN this Tuesday is dedicated to a comparison: among the capitals of the 27 member states, Lisbon has some of the transport systems that weigh most heavily on travellers' pockets, while Luxembourg leads with total free access. The main photo is dedicated to cinema, noting that the American Oscars had Norwegian and Russian offshoots. There is also a major focus on health: the Western Lisbon Local Health Unit (ULS) requires Portuguese nationality for recruitment competitions, a practice lawyers claim is illegal. The competition for the recruitment reserve of nurses at the Western Lisbon Local Health Unit from February this year presents an illegality in the admission requirements by requesting Portuguese nationality, two labour law experts, Maria Antónia Beleza and Paulo Geraldes, told DN. This is not an isolated case, as there are other competitions where the irregularity persists. The ULS guarantees to DN that it complies with the law. Download the electronic edition of DN at the link below and see the front page in detail.
In front of the Ministry of Labour, Tiago Oliveira guaranteed that it is not the CGTP that is sidelining itself, but that it is being excluded from the negotiation process for the labour package.
The Ministry of Labour indicated that the Government showed willingness for a subsequent meeting with the CGTP.
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.
The CGTP trade union gathered at the Ministry of Labour at 3:00 PM despite not receiving an official invitation for a meeting.
The CGTP is present at the Ministry of Labour, as previously promised. The PS has once again requested the postponement of the submission of candidacies and the elections for the external bodies of the Assembly of the Republic.
The meetings are taking place “as part of the start-of-term consultations”. The President of the Republic has already met with Luís Montenegro and called for dialogue regarding labour legislation.
The meeting is scheduled for 3:00 PM at the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (MTSSS) in Lisbon.
The Minister of Labour meets again today with the UGT and the four business confederations regarding changes to labour law, following the appeal made by the President of the Republic after the 'rupture' announced by the employers.
The article highlights recent developments in Portugal, including the creation of a new committee by the son of the Xá, and ongoing discussions about the country's labor laws, emphasizing that there are more similarities than differences among stakeholders. Additionally, a family with four minors in Lisbon has been left without a residence after losing their caravan, with no solution provided. Tensions between Oeiras and Amadora are also reported, with Oeiras' mayor accusing Amadora of invasion and threatening to build a barrier. Portugal's continued support for Ukraine is reaffirmed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who conveyed Portugal's unwavering backing to President Zelensky. The article also mentions Portugal's participation in the EuroDreams contest, where, despite no winners, the country received some prizes, and notes upcoming weather disturbances expected to bring rain and wind to the continent.
The article highlights recent developments in Portugal, including the government's stance on labor laws emphasizing common ground over differences, and a local family in Lisbon losing their caravan housing without a solution. It also reports on regional tensions, with Oeiras' mayor Isaltino accusing Amadora of invasion and threatening to build a barrier. Additionally, Portugal's continued support for Ukraine is reaffirmed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The coverage also mentions Portugal's participation in the EuroDreams contest, where no winners were declared but prizes were awarded to Portugal. Overall, the article provides updates on social, political, and cultural issues affecting Portugal.
The article highlights recent developments in Portugal, including the creation of a new committee by the son of the Xá, and ongoing discussions about labor laws, emphasizing that there are more similarities than differences in the current legislative debates. Additionally, a family with four minors in Lisbon has been left without a caravan where they lived, with no solution provided. Regional tensions are also noted, with Oeiras' mayor Isaltino accusing Amadora of invading Oeiras and threatening to build a “wall.” Portugal's continued support for Ukraine is reaffirmed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who conveyed Portugal's unwavering backing to President Zelensky. The article also mentions Portugal's participation in the EuroDreams contest, where, despite no winners, the country received some prizes.
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, to 'reaffirm proposals and solutions for labour legislation'. A CGTP-IN delegation will present itself at the Ministry of Labour next Monday at 15:00 to reaffirm its proposals and solutions.
The trade union federation does not accept the 'attempted exclusion' from negotiations and reinforces that 'no process is valid with exclusion'.
They are demanding 15% salary increases for public servants and criticising the lack of response from the Minister of State and Finance to a request for negotiations submitted in January.
The last meeting ended without an agreement and with mutual accusations of intransigence.
Update: Government schedules fresh labour law talks for Monday
Minister of Labour Rosário Palma Ramalho has summoned the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (União Geral de Trabalhadores or UGT) and business leaders to a meeting on Monday, March 16. The government aims to exhaust all possibilities for an agreement rather than prolonging the discussion indefinitely.
Rosário Palma Ramalho is Portugal’s Minister of Labour, responsible for labour policy, workplace regulation and negotiations with trade unions. Her statements today about the CGTP withdrawing from labour reform talks matter because they affect negotiation dynamics and can influence strikes or demonstrations that may disrupt public services and workplaces.
The General Union of Workers (UGT – União Geral de Trabalhadores) is one of Portugal’s two main national trade union confederations. Founded in Lisbon on 28 October 1978, it was created as a social‑democratic alternative to the more communist‑aligned CGTP after the 1974 Revolution, grouping unions close to the Socialist Party and moderate centre‑right currents.
UGT represents around 400,000 workers and is affiliated to the European Trade Union Confederation and International Trade Union Confederation, giving Portuguese labour a voice at EU and global level. Its principles stress union independence from the state, employers, churches and parties, internal democracy and active worker participation.
Historically, UGT’s hallmark has been “propositive” social dialogue: it is usually more willing than CGTP to sign tripartite agreements on wages, labour law and social policy with governments and employers, shaping minimum wage increases, working‑time rules and social protection reforms. This makes UGT a key centrist actor in Portugal’s industrial relations, often mediating between left and right while defending collective bargaining and incremental improvements to labour rights.
More than a hundred people demonstrated in downtown Lisbon, organized by CGTP, to demand gender equality and oppose a labor package perceived to worsen women's working conditions. The protest featured slogans advocating for equal pay and rights, with participants highlighting ongoing disparities in the workplace. CGTP leaders emphasized the need for legislative changes to uphold constitutional rights for women, especially in light of the upcoming International Women's Day.
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.
