Thousands of people demonstrated in Lisbon today against the government’s labour package – which the general secretary of CGTP (the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers) has long described as negative for workers – demanding its withdrawal.
Between Cais do Sodré and Rossio, thousands shouted against the proposed changes to the law and instead demanded better working conditions.
“It’s just one more push and the package will fall to the ground,” chants were heard throughout the streets, along with “the public sector belongs to everyone, the private sector belongs only to a few.”
Speaking to journalists, CGTP general secretary Tiago Oliveira stressed that “this labour package is negative for the world of work and negative for workers” and warned that the government “knows that it has in CHEGA and Iniciativa Liberal an armed wing to continue this policy.”
“We demand the withdrawal of the package, we demand a discussion on improving the living conditions of workers with concrete proposals to amend legislation currently in force to improve the living conditions of those who work,” he added as the march began.
The draft reform, dubbed “Work XXI,” was presented by the government on July 24. The Minister of Labor has already signaled her intention to submit the bill to parliament, in spite of unions’ vociferous outrage which triggered the first general strike in over a decade (on December 11 last year).
Business confederations however have applauded the proposals – although they say there is room for improvement.
Last week, after meeting with the UGT (General Union of Workers) and the four business confederations, Minister of Labour Rosário Palma Ramalho indicated that, in the technical meetings, “there have already been some areas of work-life balance,” namely regarding parenthood, artificial intelligence, and new technologies, included in the draft. “But it is a consensus at the technical level only.”
A plenary meeting of the Social Dialogue Committee is scheduled for Tuesday.
Source: Lusa
