On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Lisbon to protest against legislative proposals in the field of labor, deemed threatening to employees' rights. The government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro approved a bill aimed at amending the Labor Code, facilitating the dismissal of employees and outsourcing work, as well as limiting special leave, including for women who suffer miscarriages.
The CGTP union, the organizer of the protest, denounced these measures as a major attack on employees and announced a general strike on December 11. Protesters, who also called for higher wages, emphasized that over 50% of employees earn less than 1,000 euros per month, in conditions where the minimum wage is 870 euros, one of the lowest in the EU. The government argues that the changes are necessary to increase competitiveness and productivity in Portugal, one of the poorest countries in Western Europe.
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