Portugal's 24-Hour Public-Sector Strike Disrupts Schools, Hospitals and Citizen Services Nationwide
LISBON — A 24-hour strike by workers in the general careers of Portugal's public administration caused widespread disruption across the country on Friday, October 2, Xinhua reported, with schools closed, health services severely affected and citizen service offices shut.
The stoppage began at midnight and involved approximately 350,000 workers, including operational assistants — among the lowest-paid staff in the public sector. Unions are demanding better pay, fairer career progression and more meaningful negotiations with the government, arguing that pay scales for general-career staff have been squeezed down towards the national minimum wage.
The strike was timed days before the government presents its draft State Budget for 2027, which must be submitted to parliament by October 10. Union leaders said the action was an opportunity to put pressure on the government ahead of the budget, predicting very strong participation, thousands of closed public services and schools, and disruption to refuse collection.
The government made no new concessions on the day. For residents, the immediate effects were postponed appointments, suspended counter services and some school closures, with services returning to normal after the 24-hour action ended.
Sources: Compiled from Xinhua (via NAMPA) and reporting by Portugal's Lusa news agency.
Source: 新华社、葡萄牙通讯社
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 里斯本罗西乌广场（佩德罗四世广场），公共领域（Wikimedia Commons）
