The government has already responded to Wednesday’s general strike, downplaying its overall impact. Despite this, the late afternoon was marked by disturbances outside the Assembly of the Republic, where one of several demonstrations against the labour law was taking place on this day of general strike.
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There are records of six people being 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 the demonstrators to leave the area, an order that was not obeyed.
For his part, the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, said, following the meeting of the Council of Ministers, that the stoppage “served only to harm a lot of people”, although he stressed that he did not intend thereby “to call into question the exercise” of that right.
He illustrated this, in comments quoted by CNN Portugal (source in Portuguese): “Many of the children whose schools did not open, many of the young people who were unable to sit exams because the conditions were not in place, many Portuguese who had consultations or planned operations that did not go ahead, some who could not travel to their workplace because they were unable to travel there, were truly harmed by this strike.”
Later, the Minister for Labour, Maria Rosário da Palma Ramalho, said that participation in the strike in the private sector “was negligible”, since “the overwhelming majority of workers decided to go to work”. As for the public sector, she said that the “figures” point to “23% of staff absent from work”.
Earlier, at a press conference at 11.30, the Labour Minister had insisted that the country was “operating normally” and that participation “in some areas” was “actually zero”.
In a detailed list of sectors, she assured that “all factories” were “operating”. Shops in the retail sector also “kept their doors open”, there were no “branches closed” in banking, and there was “no disruption in tourism, not even in travel agencies”. This was despite the difficulties at airports, with flights cancelled.
The minister also said that private hospitals were “operating normally” and, as regards the public sector, acknowledged that there was “greater participation”.
However, despite the greater disruption in the public sector, Maria Rosário Ramalho said that “services” were “being maintained” and reiterated that “the government listens to everyone and fully respects the right to strike”.
This interpretation by the government clashes with statements made by the secretary-general of CGTP-IN (General Confederation of Portuguese Workers – National Inter-union), Tiago Oliveira, who said that “the figures point to a major strike”.
At the beginning of the afternoon, Tiago Oliveira spoke to journalists to present some data from private industrial companies that had 100% participation in the strike, such as DS Smith-Leiria, Saica, Sovena and Cedial.
The union leader also pointed to strong participation in some companies in the construction, ceramics, cement and glass industries.
Contrary to what the minister said, the trade union confederation indicated that private hospitals were being significantly affected at Lusíadas in Amadora and Lisbon, CUF Hospital in Sintra and Hospital da Luz in Lisbon.
In the transport sector, Tiago Oliveira cited 100% participation at Lisbon Metro, Transdev Viseu, the Urban Transport Company of Guarda and the urban transport company of Covilhã, as well as “Carris workshops with 98% participation; Soflusa/Transtejo, 85% participation; and CP operating only minimum services”.
“The aim is to denounce the labour package, it is to have the labour package withdrawn,” said Tiago Oliveira outside Nuno Gonçalves primary school in Lisbon on Wednesday morning; the school was closed because of the general strike.
“For ten months, workers have shown 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 night shifts in National Health Service (SNS) hospital units.
According to the National Federation of Unions of Workers in Public and Social Functions (FNSTFPS), participation by SNS workers in last night’s strike was between 95% and 100%, revealing strong opposition to the labour package.
The impact of the stoppage was felt in several health units across the country. São Francisco Xavier Hospital, part of the Lisbon Ocidental Local Health Unit (ULS), and São José Hospital, part of the Lisbon Oriental ULS, both recorded 100% participation in the strike. At Santa Maria Hospital, in the Lisbon Ocidental ULS, participation in the strike was 90%, while at Vila Franca de Xira Hospital, in the Estuário do Tejo ULS, it was 71%.
In Porto, there was full participation in the strike at the Viseu Dão Lafões ULS hospital and at São João Hospital. The Portuguese Oncology Institute in Porto recorded 90% adherence.
The Bissaya Barreto Maternity Hospital and the University Hospitals campus, both part of the Coimbra ULS, recorded a total walkout by their workers. At Santarém Hospital, in the Lezíria ULS, participation in the strike was 74%.
According to SIC Notícias, outpatient consultations at Portalegre Hospital are not taking place, but minimum services are being guaranteed.
This is the first time that SNS24 staff have joined a general strike, which means it may be harder to speak to a health professional via this phone line today. Waiting times may even reach three hours. The stoppage comes at a time when the SNS 24 line is facing very high levels of operational pressure.
Schools closed on the day of the 6th-year Portuguese exam
Several schools are also closed across the country, which is affecting the holding of the 6th-year Portuguese exam, scheduled for this Wednesday.
Speaking to SIC Notícias, the general secretary of FENPROF, José Feliciano da Costa, said there was “significant participation” in the strike in Sintra, Olivais, Fundão, Coimbra, Moita, Castelo Branco and Mafra. He argued that 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 shut and river crossings suspended
As far as international flights are concerned, almost 190 had been cancelled so far 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 departing flights 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. In the case of 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.
Tejo river crossings operated by Transtejo (source in Portuguese), which link the two banks of the river, have had several services cancelled. CP – Comboios de Portugal (source in Portuguese), for its part, is forecasting disruption to train services.
More than two dozen companies across the country have also suspended their activities.
The Labour Code stipulates that, in the event of a strike, minimum services must be guaranteed in companies or establishments that provide essential services to meet urgent social needs. These include postal and telecommunications services, medical, hospital and pharmaceutical care, hygiene and public health – including funerals – as well as energy and mining services, in particular the supply of fuel.
The stoppage is a protest against the proposal to amend labour legislation, also known as “Trabalho XXI”, put forward by the PSD/CDS-PP government and which includes more than 100 changes to the Labour Code.
The package of measures was discussed within the framework of Social Concertation, but the government led by Luís Montenegro failed to reach an agreement with the social partners, prompting CGTP-IN to go ahead with the strike notice for the previously announced walkout.
