Portugal’s two primary trade union confederations have initiated a nationwide general strike, causing severe disruption across public services and transportation infrastructure on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
The coordinated action, which the unions claim could be the largest in over a decade, is a direct challenge to the centre-right government’s proposed overhaul of national employment laws.
The simultaneous walkout, called by the General Workers’ Union and the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers, is expected to affect air travel and rail services, shutter many non-essential government offices, and force the cancellation of both medical appointments and classes nationwide.
The unions, representing close to a million Portuguese workers, are contesting legislative changes they argue strip employees of long-held entitlements.
As the strike began in the early hours of Thursday, initial reports confirmed significant delays and cancellations. National rail operator services were heavily impacted, while major airport hubs saw numerous flights grounded. The strike action targets public sectors crucial to daily life, with disruptions reported in health clinics and educational institutions.
The proposed changes have intensified the political standoff between the government and organised labour. The administration of Social Democrat Prime Minister Luís Montenegro argues the reforms are essential to increase the economy’s "suppleness" and stimulate growth.
Prime Minister Montenegro dismissed the necessity of the protest, stating, "The suggestion that this nation is not succeeding is fundamentally flawed. We are projecting GDP growth of around 2%, comfortably above the EU average. This strike is, by any measure, senseless when the country is demonstrably doing well."
The confederations, however, contend the planned laws are an attack on worker stability and security. Key proposals include easing the process for companies to dismiss employees, expanding sectors where the right to strike is curtailed, and limiting legal breastfeeding breaks for mothers to the first two years of a baby’s life, a reduction from the current open-ended dispensation.
The joint action marks the first time since 2013 that the two major labour umbrella groups have joined forces for a general strike. The walkout comes as Portuguese citizens grapple with persistent economic pressures, despite positive growth projections.
Portugal holds one of the European Union’s smaller economies, and its workforce is among the lowest paid across the 27-nation bloc. Data from the National Statistics Institute indicates the average monthly wage stands at approximately 1,600 euros ($1,870) before tax, while the minimum monthly wage earned by hundreds of thousands of workers is 870 euros ($1,018) before tax.
This low-wage reality is compounded by an ongoing national housing and cost of living crisis, where inflation currently sticks at just over 2% and property prices have soared in recent years.
The European Commission’s forecast projects Portugal to achieve a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of approximately 2% this year, positioning it above the 1.4% average projected for the EU. Unemployment in Portugal stands just under 6%, roughly matching the EU average.
Trade union organisers confirmed that street marches and rallies were planned for later Thursday afternoon in Lisbon and other major cities.
The general strike serves as a significant test for Prime Minister Montenegro’s governing coalition, demonstrating the depth of public dissatisfaction over labour conditions and economic austerity measures.
