Portugal is bracing for an extraordinary wave of industrial action this week, as public sector unions and major labor confederations unite for the country’s first general strike in over a decade, followed by a second day of targeted walkouts. The strikes, scheduled for December 11 and 12, 2025, are set to disrupt a broad swath of public services, from schools and hospitals to garbage collection and public transportation, plunging daily routines into uncertainty for millions of citizens.
According to reports from Correio da Manhã, schools across the country have already started warning parents to prepare for closures on both Thursday and Friday. The prospect of a two-day shutdown has left many families scrambling for childcare alternatives and has raised concerns about the continuity of essential services. "Schools are reportedly already warning parents 'not to leave their children' at the gates on Friday without being absolutely sure that the school is functioning," the outlet noted, highlighting the pervasive anxiety gripping households as the strike dates approach.
The general strike on December 11 marks the first such nationwide action in twelve years. The last time Portugal witnessed this level of coordinated labor unrest was on June 27, 2013, when the country was reeling from the effects of a financial bailout and strict austerity measures imposed by international creditors, commonly referred to as the 'troika.' This time, the stakes are different but no less significant, as the government’s proposed labor reforms have provoked widespread criticism from unions and even former leaders of the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD).
At the heart of the dispute is a controversial labor package put forward by the government, which it claims will increase flexibility in the labor market. However, union leaders argue that the reforms threaten to roll back hard-won rights, particularly the right to strike without being compelled to maintain minimum service levels. As Correio da Manhã reported, "Unions criticize the government's labor reform proposals for reducing rights, including the right to strike without mandatory minimum services." This sentiment is echoed by the Democratic Union of Nurses of Portugal (SINDEPOR), which is participating in the two-day action. The union has agreed to respect minimum service requirements imposed by the government but laments that, in practice, these requirements sometimes mean "more nurses working than normal daily rosters," effectively blunting the impact of their protest.
The scale of the planned disruption is considerable. More than two dozen unions representing sectors as diverse as health, education, industry, banking, social communication, and transport are poised to join the general strike on December 11. The following day, the Independent Union of Workers of Public Organizations and Social Support (SITOPAS) and SINDEPOR are leading a second wave of strikes, targeting the same sectors and ensuring that the effects of industrial action will be felt across two consecutive days.
Public institutions such as Social Security offices, tax authorities (Finanças), courts, municipal and parish council services, and, crucially, rubbish collection, are all expected to be affected. The strikes are timed just ahead of the Christmas holiday period, a fact not lost on observers. According to Correio da Manhã, the scheduling of the second strike day effectively creates a long weekend for many public sector workers, after what the paper describes as “yet another” extended break before the holidays.
In the capital, the impact on public transport is a particular cause for concern. Metropolitano de Lisboa, the operator of Lisbon’s metro system, has appealed a recent decision by the Arbitration Court of the Economic and Social Council (CES), which rejected the company’s request to set minimum service requirements for train circulation during the strike. In a statement, the company warned that the court’s decision would have a “particularly severe impact” and compromise “the fulfillment of essential mobility needs of citizens” in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Metropolitano de Lisboa emphasized its “structural role” in public transport and insisted that it is possible to “reconcile the right to strike with ensuring a minimum level of safe, reliable, and predictable mobility.” Nevertheless, the absence of guaranteed minimum services raises the specter of widespread disruption for commuters and residents alike.
Protests are not limited to the mainland. The General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), one of the country’s two main labor confederations, has scheduled demonstrations in 15 districts, including the Azores and Madeira. The CGTP and the General Union of Workers (UGT) have joined forces to call the general strike, marking the first time since the 2013 crisis that the two major union confederations have acted in unison. This rare display of solidarity underscores the depth of opposition to the government’s labor reform agenda.
The government, for its part, has tried to reassure the public that essential services will remain operational, at least in the most critical areas. Minimum service agreements have been reached for the health and justice sectors on December 12, aiming to ensure that basic needs are met even as the broader public sector grinds to a halt. However, as union representatives point out, the imposition of minimum service requirements is itself a source of contention, seen by many as an infringement on the right to effective industrial action.
Amid the mounting tension, the government continues to defend its proposed reforms, arguing that increased labor market flexibility is necessary to boost competitiveness and adapt to changing economic realities. But union leaders remain unconvinced, warning that the changes risk undermining social protections and eroding the bargaining power of workers. SITOPAS, for example, has chosen to stage its own day of strike action, separate from the general strike, as a way to register its “strongest protest” against the government’s approach. "The union SITOPAS is protesting strongly against the government's proposed labor reforms," Correio da Manhã reported, capturing the mood of defiance among rank-and-file members.
With the first day of strikes set to begin on Thursday, all eyes are on the government and union leaders as they prepare for what could be a defining confrontation over the future of labor relations in Portugal. The outcome will not only shape the immediate prospects for public sector workers but could also set the tone for broader debates about work, rights, and social justice in the years ahead.
As Portugal stands on the cusp of its largest industrial action in more than a decade, the coming days will test the resilience of public services, the unity of the labor movement, and the government’s resolve in the face of mounting opposition.
