Latest news and stories about government policy in work in 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.
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 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 meeting is scheduled for 3:00 PM at the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (MTSSS) in Lisbon.
The Minister of Labour reconvenes with the UGT and business confederations to resume labour law reform negotiations following an appeal from the President of the Republic to resolve the recent impasse.
The Lusa agency has stopped. There were four hours of protest in front of the Government headquarters.
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.
This morning, the Prime Minister said he does not want to “prolong the discussion indefinitely”, but rather “exhaust all possibilities for reaching an agreement”.
The restructuring process of Lusa imposed by the Government contradicts “principles guaranteed by the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic,” argues the Coordinator of the Lisbon Workers' Commissions.
In their first meeting, the Left Bloc (BE) and the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) aligned their opposition to the government's proposed labour reforms. Both parties declared the package defeated following the collapse of social concertation talks, with Paulo Raimundo and José Manuel Pureza emphasizing worker unity as the primary force against the legislation. The meeting also highlighted shared concerns regarding the cost of living, public housing policies, and the protection of the National Health Service, while noting a broader convergence on national issues.
The PS secretary-general argued this Tuesday, March 10, that the Prime Minister must explain himself “if he is unable to promote fundamental agreements” for the country, and considered that the “labour proposals presented by the Government represented a choice for inhumanity.” Speaking to journalists in Lisbon, José Luís Carneiro addressed the lack of agreement between the Government and social partners regarding the labour package, stating that the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, owes the country an explanation. Carneiro emphasized that the PS will not support proposals that increase precariousness and noted that the President of the Republic, António José Seguro, had previously indicated he would veto the package if it remained in its initial form.
Following the breakdown in negotiations, and with both the UGT and the Government not closing the door, the Prime Minister may make a final effort to get the partners back to the negotiating table.
The outgoing President of the Republic received the Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty. Also in this news bulletin, employers hold the UGT directly responsible for the failure of negotiations regarding labour reform.
Leader of Chega, Ventura, has called on the Government to return the additional VAT revenue generated from the recent rise in fuel prices, emphasizing the need to differentiate between individuals and businesses. He criticized the Government's response to the fuel price crisis, particularly the insufficient discount on road diesel, and plans to push for an urgent debate in the Assembly of the Republic.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 2:30 PM at the headquarters of the Economic and Social Council in Lisbon.
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.
Between Cais do Sodré and Rossio, thousands of demonstrators shouted against the changes to the labour law.
The Secretary-General of CGTP, Tiago Oliveira, emphasised that “this labour package is negative for the world of work and is negative for workers” and demanded that the Government withdraw it.
Thousands of workers protested in Lisbon against a new labor package, expressing their discontent with proposed changes to labor laws. The demonstration highlights significant opposition to the government's labor policies, reflecting broader concerns about workers' rights and conditions in Portugal.
The Minister of Labour will meet on Monday, 23rd, with UGT and four employer confederations to discuss changes to the labour law, in a meeting without the participation of CGTP. The meeting is scheduled for 9:30 AM at the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (MTSSS) in Lisbon. This gathering aims to assess the technical meetings that have taken place between the government, employer confederations, and UGT regarding the labour law changes being discussed in the Social Concertation framework, where CGTP is also represented. Last week, the Minister had called UGT and employer confederations for a meeting, but it was held without union representatives as CGTP was not invited and UGT announced it would not participate, deeming the meeting 'untimely'. An official source from the ministry indicated that 'UGT was invited and did not show availability at any time this week', but the government remains open to discussions with the union. In UGT's absence, employer confederations expressed their 'interest' in reaching an agreement on the labour law, stating that without the union's presence, 'in practice, there was no meeting' and they are willing to negotiate with the union starting this week. This was noted by Francisco Calheiros, president of the Tourism Confederation of Portugal (CTP), who spoke on behalf of the other three employer confederations. When asked about CGTP's absence, Calheiros declined to comment. The Secretary-General of CGTP accused the government of trying to exclude the inter-union from discussions on labour law changes and using methods of discussion 'completely outside' the usual negotiation processes. The draft reform, called 'Trabalho XXI', was presented by the government of Luís Montenegro (PSD and CDS-PP) on July 24, 2025, and the Minister has indicated the intention to submit the bill to parliament, although no date has been committed to. The changes proposed by the government in July were rejected by the unions, who view the changes as an attack on workers' rights. The opposition led CGTP and UGT to jointly call for a general strike on December 11, 2025. Employer confederations welcomed the reform but stated there is room for improvement. In response to criticisms from CGTP and UGT, the government presented a new proposal to UGT with some concessions but reiterated that it is not willing to withdraw the entire initiative or abandon the core elements of the announced changes. UGT submitted a counterproposal to the government on February 4 and indicated it has red lines on issues such as fixed-term contracts and outsourcing, which it considers 'unacceptable'.
Portugal is seeking to enhance its appeal to Middle Eastern investors, particularly from Qatar, by shifting its marketing strategy beyond just its favorable climate. In Doha, representatives from Startup Portugal are engaging with local entrepreneurs to promote investment opportunities in the country.
Since the draft bill was presented on 24 July, the CGTP has held several protest actions to demand the withdrawal of the proposal.
António Filipe took advantage of the CGTP demonstration in Lisbon on Tuesday afternoon to demonstrate his support for the workers.
At the end of the demonstration in Lisbon, a CGTP delegation will go to São Bento to deliver a petition demanding the withdrawal of the draft bill to revise labour legislation.
