President Seguro is stepping into the morass created by the government’s plans for labour reform.
After months in which unions have been at loggerheads with political leaders, António José Seguro appears to believe there can be a solution. He said in Leiria today (where he is coming to the end of a week’s Open Presidency) that he will be meeting “very soon with all the social partners”, which he has said for months must be ‘in on the deal’.
The government’s contention that ‘come hell or high water’ it will be presenting its proposals to parliament is clearly seen by the head of state as shortsighted. President Seguro said, even before he took office, that he would veto any draft-law that did not have the unions’ backing. This does not mean he can block the government’s intentions entirely. A veto would only serve as a delay tactic (as presidential powers do not extend to throwing proposed legislation out definitively), but the president obviously wants to see a ‘just’ reform – and that means one that is supported by trades unions.
Today, in Leiria, members of the CGTP were in evidence, complaining that they have been blocked from negotiations due to their ‘demands’ (and their stance that led to the first general strike in over a decade), and asking for a meeting once the president is back in Belém – a request to which he readily conceded.
Also today, UGT has delivered its ‘negative opinion’ on the government’s latest proposals to the minister of labour, while the prime minister has said he hopes talks can bring everything ‘on track’ within the next few days, because negotiations cannot continue much longer.
One way or other, the government insists that labour reforms are needed. It may just be that President Seguro does bring some clarity into what is otherwise a ‘right old mess’.
Source material: SIC citing Lusa
