General strike: major disruption to services and transport

The general strike led to an almost total shutdown of the night shift at National Health Service (SNS) hospital units.

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

The impact of the stoppage has been felt at several healthcare facilities across the country. The São Francisco Xavier Hospital, which is part of the Lisbon West Local Health Unit (ULS), and São José Hospital, which belongs to the Lisbon East ULS, reported 100% adherence to the strike. At Santa Maria Hospital, also in the Lisbon West ULS, adherence reached 90%, while at Vila Franca de Xira Hospital, in the Tagus Estuary ULS, it stood at 71%.

In Porto, there was full adherence to the strike at the Viseu Dão Lafões ULS Hospital and at São João Hospital. The Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto reported adherence of 90%.

The Bissaya Barreto Maternity Hospital and the University Hospitals hub, both part of the Coimbra ULS, saw a complete stoppage by their staff. At Santarém Hospital, in the Lezíria ULS, adherence to the strike reached 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 SNS24 (source in Portuguese) workers have joined a general strike, which means it may be harder to speak to a healthcare professional via this helpline today. Waiting times may even reach three hours. The stoppage comes at a time when the SNS 24 line is under heavy operational pressure.

Schools closed on the day of the Year 6 Portuguese exam

Several schools around the country are also closed, 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 adherence” to 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 “could be held on any other day”.

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

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

On the ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal (source in Portuguese) website, at least 43 arrivals are shown as cancelled at Lisbon airport, while 46 departures have been called off. 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 it does not operate minimum services. On the Porto Metro (source in Portuguese), which has four lines out of service – the Green, Red, Violet and Orange lines – only the Blue and Yellow lines are running.

Tejo River ferries operated by Transtejo (source in Portuguese), which link the two banks of the river, have seen several connections suspended. CP – Comboios de Portugal (source in Portuguese), for its part, is anticipating disruption to train services.

More than two dozen companies across the country have also halted operations.

The Labour Code stipulates that in the event of a strike, 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.

“Figures point to a major strike”

The secretary-general of CGTP-IN (the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers – National Trades Union), Tiago Olivera, told journalists this morning that “the figures point to a major strike”.

“The goal is to denounce the labour package, to see the labour package withdrawn,” said Tiago Olivera outside Nuno Gonçalves primary school in Lisbon, which is closed because of the general strike.

“For ten months, workers have shown 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.

This 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 framework of Social Concertation, but the government led by Luís Montenegro failed to reach agreement with the social partners, prompting CGTP-IN to go ahead with the strike notice it had already announced.

To be updated