General strike: CGTP hails strong turnout, government says most ‘chose to work’

0

BEĞENDİM

ABONE OL

News

0

The government has already responded to Wednesday’s general strike, playing down its overall impact. Even so, the late afternoon was marked by clashes in front of the Assembly of the Republic, where one of several demonstrations against the labour law was taking place, defining this day of nationwide stoppage.

According to the newspaper Observador, five people were detained by the Public Security Police (PSP) following clashes between the two sides. Several rubbish bins were also set on fire, and the authorities ordered demonstrators to leave the area, an order that was not obeyed.

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said, following the Council of Ministers meeting, that the stoppage ‘ended up only harming a lot of people’, although he stressed that he did not intend ‘to call into question the exercise’ of that right.

And he gave examples, in remarks quoted by CNN Portugal (source in Portuguese): ‘Many children found their schools closed, many young people were unable to sit exams because the conditions to do so were not in place, many Portuguese had appointments or planned operations that did not go ahead, and some people could not get to their workplace because transport was not running. They were truly harmed by this strike.’

Afterwards, the minister of Labour, Maria Rosário da Palma Ramalho, said that participation in the strike in the private sector ‘was residual’, since ‘the overwhelming majority of workers decided to go to work’. As for the public sector, she said that the ‘figures’ point to ‘23% absences from work’.

Earlier, at an 11.30 a.m. press conference, the Labour minister had insisted that the country was ‘functioning normally’ and that in ‘some areas’ participation had been ‘actually nil’.

In a detailed rundown of sectors, she said that ‘all factories’ were ‘working’. Shops also kept their ‘doors’ open, there were no ‘bank branches closed’ and there was ‘no disruption in tourism, not even in travel agencies’. This despite the problems recorded at airports, with flights cancelled.

The minister also said that private hospitals were ‘operating normally’ and, regarding the public sector, acknowledged there had been ‘higher participation’.

Nonetheless, despite the greater disruption in the public sector, Maria Rosário Ramalho maintained that ‘services’ were ‘being provided’ and stressed that ‘the government listens to everyone and fully respects the right to strike’.

Trains stand idle at Santa Apolónia railway station in Lisbon during a general strike. 3 June 2026

This reading by the government clashes with comments by the secretary-general of CTGP-IN (General Confederation of Portuguese Workers – National Intersyndical), Tiago Oliveira, who said that ‘the figures point to a major strike’.

Early in the afternoon, Tiago Oliveira spoke to journalists to present data from industrial private-sector plants that saw 100% participation in the strike, such as DS Smith-Leiria, Saica, Sovena and Cedial.

The union leader also pointed to strong adherence among some companies in the construction, ceramics, cement and glass sectors.

Contrary to what the minister said, the trade union confederation reported significant disruption in private hospitals, namely at Lusíadas hospitals in Amadora and Lisbon, at CUF Hospital in Sintra and at Hospital da Luz in Lisbon.

In transport, Tiago Oliveira cited 100% participation at Lisbon Metro, Transdev Viseu, Empresa Transportes Urbanos da Guarda and Transportes Urbanos da Covilhã, as well as ‘Carris workshops with 98% participation; Soflusa/Transtejo, 85% participation; and CP operating only minimum services’.

Lisbon Metro closed with no minimum services during the general strike against the labour package. 3 June 2026

‘The aim is to denounce the labour package, to have the labour package withdrawn,’ said Tiago Oliveira outside Nuno Gonçalves primary school in Lisbon in the morning; the school was closed because of the general strike.

‘For ten months, workers have been showing that they do not want the labour package and the prime minister (Luís Montenegro) has shown arrogance and a lack of respect for workers,’ he added.

Hospitals affected since yesterday

The general strike brought an almost total shutdown of the night shift in hospitals of the National Health Service (SNS).

According to the National Federation of Trade Unions of Workers in Public and Social Functions (FNSTFPS), participation by SNS workers in last night’s strike was between 95% and 100%. This shows strong opposition to the labour package.

The impact of the stoppage was felt in several healthcare units across the country. Hospital de São Francisco Xavier, part of the Lisbon West Local Health Unit (ULS Lisboa Ocidental), and Hospital de São José, part of ULS Lisboa Oriental, reported 100% participation in the strike. At Santa Maria Hospital, in ULS Lisboa Ocidental, participation in the strike was 90%, while at Vila Franca de Xira Hospital, in ULS Estuário do Tejo, it was 71%.

In Porto, there was full participation in the strike at the Viseu Dão Lafões Local Health Unit hospital (ULS Viseu Dão Lafões) and at São João Hospital. The Portuguese Oncology Institute in Porto reported 90% participation.

Bissaya Barreto Maternity Hospital and the University Hospitals campus, both part of the Coimbra Local Health Unit (ULS de Coimbra), recorded a total stoppage by their workers. At Santarém Hospital, in ULS da Lezíria, participation in the strike stood at 74%.

According to SIC Notícias, outpatient consultations at Portalegre Hospital are not taking place, although minimum services are being guaranteed.

This is the first time that workers at SNS24 (source in Portuguese) have taken part in a general strike, which means it may be harder to speak to a health professional via this phone line today. Waiting times may reach as long as three hours. The stoppage comes at a time when the SNS 24 helpline is already under intense operational pressure.

Schools closed on the day of the Year 6 Portuguese exam

Several schools across the country are also closed, which is affecting the sitting of the Year 6 Portuguese exam, scheduled for this Wednesday.

Speaking to SIC Notícias, the secretary-general of FENPROF, José Feliciano da Costa, said there was ‘significant participation’ in the strike in Sintra, Olivais, Fundão, Coimbra, Moita, Castelo Branco and Mafra. In his view, the education minister’s decision not to postpone the exam shows that ‘the exams are of no interest’ and ‘can be held on any other day’.

Almost 190 flights cancelled, metro at a standstill and river crossings cut

As for international flights, almost 190 have so far been cancelled at the airports of Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

On the ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal (source in Portuguese) website, it is possible to see that at least 43 arrivals have been cancelled at Lisbon airport, while 46 departures have been cancelled. At Francisco Sá Carneiro airport in Porto, 29 arriving flights and 27 departures have been cancelled. In Faro, 21 arrivals and 23 departures have been cancelled.

The Lisbon Metro (source in Portuguese) is also at a standstill, as there are no minimum services. On the Porto Metro (source in Portuguese), which has four lines out of service – Green, Red, Violet and Orange – only the Blue and Yellow lines are running.

The Tagus River ferry operator (Transtejo (source in Portuguese)), which links the two banks of the river, has several crossings suspended. CP – Comboios de Portugal (source in Portuguese), for its part, is forecasting disruption to train services.

More than two dozen companies around the country have also suspended activity.

The Labour Code stipulates that, in a strike situation, minimum services must be guaranteed in companies or facilities providing essential services to meet urgent social needs. These include postal and telecommunications services, medical, hospital and pharmaceutical care, public hygiene and health – including funerals – as well as energy and mining services, in particular the supply of fuel.

The stoppage stems from a protest against the proposed changes to labour legislation, also known as ‘Work XXI’, put forward by the PSD/CDS-PP government and comprising more than 100 amendments to the Labour Code.

The package of measures was discussed in the Social Concertation forum, but the government led by Luís Montenegro failed to reach an agreement with the social partners, prompting CGTP-IN to move ahead with the strike pre-notice that had already been announced.