Overview
- The one-day action on 11 December produced broad disruption across transport, schools, hospitals and industry, with the Lisbon metro closed, major rail cancellations, ports shuttered and Volkswagen’s Setúbal plant largely halted.
- TAP Air Portugal operated only minimum-service flights, with union officials saying about 63 of 283 scheduled flights went ahead.
- CGTP‑IN and UGT called it the biggest strike since 2013 and cited participation above three million, a figure the government disputed as it said most people were at work.
- The proposed reform seeks greater flexibility by extending temporary contracts, permitting subcontracting after layoffs and expanding minimum services during strikes, while critics warn of weaker leave provisions and easier dismissals.
- Public support for the strike reached 61% in a local poll, and the debate has intensified as the measure advances during the run-up to the early‑2026 presidential campaign.