Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 8, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleMassive protests in Lisbon oppose labour law changes, fearing negative impacts on workers' rights and job security.
By Sergio Goncalves
LISBON (Reuters) -Tens of thousands of people protested in Lisbon on Saturday against the centre-right government's plan to overhaul labour laws, which unions say will undermine workers' rights, and to demand higher wages.
Portugal’s biggest union, CGTP, which called the protest, accused the government of favouring big business while low-paid workers struggle with rising living costs.
The union said around 100,000 demonstrators occupied the capital's main avenue. No police estimate for the crowd size was available.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's government approved a draft bill to amend the labour code in September, saying it aims to boost competitiveness.
Joining Saturday's protest, Miriam Alves, 31, a worker at a medical device company, said the labour reform is "clearly a step backward in working conditions and could lead to a complete lack of job security".
"Even if it may not be my case, I'm speaking for the many young people with precarious jobs, low wages, and whose future would be to continue with fewer rights, tired and afraid of their future," she said.
Archive technician Madalena Pena, 34, said the government was reversing labour rights "in an unfair, subtle, and cunning way, without having said anything before the election" in May.
Under the planned changes, it would become easier for employers to dismiss workers for just cause as they would no longer need to present evidence at a worker’s request or hear their witnesses.
Restrictions on outsourcing would be eased and companies would be allowed to create "individual time banks" enabling employees to work up to two extra hours per day, capped at 150 hours annually.
The bill is likely to pass in parliament with support from far-right Chega.
Portugal is one of Western Europe's poorest countries, with official data showing more than 50% of workers earned less than 1,000 euros ($1,166) per month last year. The minimum wage is only 870 euros, one of the lowest in the EU.
($1 = 0.8575 euros)
(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves and Pedro NunesEditing by Frances Kerry)
Labor law refers to the body of laws that regulate the rights and duties of workers and employers, including issues like wages, working conditions, and collective bargaining.
Job security is the assurance that an individual will keep their job without the risk of becoming unemployed. It is influenced by economic conditions and company policies.
A union is an organized group of workers who come together to make decisions about the terms of their work, including wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their workers. It is set by law and varies by jurisdiction.
Outsourcing is the practice of hiring external firms or individuals to perform tasks or services that could be done internally, often to reduce costs.
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