Latest news and stories about negotiations in Portugal for expats and residents.
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To attempt a comeback against Bodo/Glimt, Rui Borges says tomorrow's match needs to be near perfect. Additionally, the Minister of Labour does not rule out the presence of the CGTP in the new round of negotiations.
The meeting, which marks the resumption of negotiations on the labour package after the threat of a breakdown, took place in a positive tone with progress in the process, but remains far from an agreement.
The trade union confederation demonstrated outside the Ministry of Labour to demand participation in negotiations regarding the labour package. They entered the building but were not seated at the table with the other partners.
CNN Portugal commentator Pedro Duarte analyses the evolution of negotiations on labour law on the eve of the meeting between the Minister of Labour and the UGT and business confederations.
CNN Portugal commentator Margarida Davim analyses the progress of negotiations regarding the labour package, which have been dragging on for seven months but, according to the trade union centres, have very little to do with actual negotiation.
With the topic on the agenda and on the eve of the meeting that will bring together the General Workers' Union (UGT) and four employers' confederations, former Minister of Labour and Social Security, José Silva Peneda, says that the Prime Minister's presence in the Labour Law negotiations is essential.
The leader of the UGT trade union states that he has never refused to engage in negotiations.
The leader of the UGT trade union federation confirms their ongoing willingness to engage in dialogue.
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.
The PSD challenges Socialist leader José Luís Carneiro to ask the UGT to return to the negotiating table regarding the new labour law.
The UGT accuses the Government of maintaining its “main pillars” and criticises the Minister of Labour for “not giving them up”. The President of the CIP acknowledged that “it is not usual to see the UGT take the attitude it had” during the negotiation process.
Portugal's social partners and government are nearing the final stages of negotiations on labor law reform, with a deadline set for the next two weeks by business leaders to reach an agreement. While some progress has been made, key contentious issues remain, including contract durations, the return of individual working hours banks, and outsourcing. Employers and government officials believe an agreement is close, but the UGT union emphasizes that significant disagreements persist and that negotiations may require more time. Overall, discussions have been constructive, with both sides making concessions, but unresolved disputes continue to challenge a swift conclusion.
The union has accused ULS Alto Ave of imposing additional work on health centres, leading to a strike that will continue until 30 June unless negotiations occur. The union emphasizes the need for a change in the administration's approach to resolve the ongoing issues.
The meeting is expected to include André Gomes, the new president of FNAM.
