Portuguese American Journal

UPDATE: Thousands to continue protesting and striking into the new year – Portugal

Thousands of Portuguese workers continue striking into the new year, protesting low wages and poor working conditions.

The strike actions are the continuation of a wave of vindications during 2018, when over 600 stoppages were recorded doubling the work actions in 2017.

According to Jornal Económico, the “increasing social unrest” that marked 2018 will continue this year “because the problems that angered workers in more than 20 sectors persist.”

This year’s strike actions include teachers and nurses, courts and the judicial system, shipyards, oil refineries and the food industry among other groups.

Following last year’s partial strikes, between November 5 and December 31, the Union of Judicial Officials (SFJ) announced new strikes in February, March and April and a national strike from April 29 to May 3. If there is “no positive response” from the government, the Portuguese Union of Judges has declared that strikes could be extended until October this year.

The Independent Union of Prison Guards Corps (SICGP) has also announced that there will be a new strike period between January 16 and February 3 and that further strikes during the year will be staged.

Workers at the state-owned Petrogal oil refineries at Sines and Porto will be on strike until January 31 while teachers, nurses and dockworkers are threatening to continue the strikes from last year.

The National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) and other related unions are meeting this week to discuss next strike actions, while the Portuguese Nurses Trade Union (ASPE) has threatened to strike from January 14 to February 28.

The Stevedoring and Logistics Activity Union (SEAL) has given notice of new strike actions in Portugal’s ports across the country, from January 16 until July 1.

By anticipation, the ongoing social unrest will play a role in the European Elections in May and the general elections in Portugal scheduled for October 2019.