Strike in Portugal: Schools Closed and easyJet Flights Canceled

On October 2, mass strikes by public sector workers and easyJet flight attendants began in Portugal. Schools have been closed due to the protests, and hundreds of flights have been canceled at airports across the country. Euronews reports on this.

We’ll explain below who is on strike, which services are operating with disruptions, and when the next protest is scheduled.

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Who called the strike in Portugal, and what are the unions demanding?

The strike in Portugal was called by three unions affiliated with the CGTP: the National Federation of Public and Social Service Workers’ Unions (FNSTFPS), the National Union of Local and Regional Administration Workers (STAL), and the Lisbon Municipal Workers’ Union (STML). The 24-hour strike on October 2 involved approximately 350,000 public administration employees. The unions are demanding an improvement in the status of general career tracks, recognition of the specific nature of their professions, and the immediate start of wage negotiations.

Operational and technical assistants, as well as senior technical specialists, joined the strike. The action had the greatest impact on the education sector. According to “Common Front” coordinator Sebastião Santana, schools are closed throughout the country, from north to south, as well as in the Azores and Madeira. He spoke outside the Francisco Arruda School in Lisbon, which did not open on the day of the strike. In the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia, according to the union, 15 out of 18 school districts were closed as of this morning.

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Which services in Portugal are operating with disruptions during the strike?

Due to a shortage of staff on the day of the strike, dozens of schools in Portugal remained closed. The strike may also cause disruptions in the operations of other government services, local councils, and municipal utilities, so residents and tourists should expect possible delays when dealing with these institutions. The list of sectors affected by disruptions includes:

• schools and universities;
• social services;
• registration offices and notary offices;
• the judicial system;
• garbage collection (in Évora, according to STAL, 99% of workers in this service participated in the strike);
• local councils;
• local medical facilities and other institutions under the Ministry of Health.

At 11:00 a.m., protesters in Lisbon marched from Praça da Figueira to the Ministry of Finance, where the unions had planned a rally featuring CGTP-IN General Secretary Tiago Oliveira. In the healthcare sector, a separate strike took place that same day, called by the National Union of Workers in Public Services and Organizations (STTS).

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easyJet flight attendants’ strike: how many flights have been canceled?

easyJet flight attendants in Portugal have begun a five-day strike, which runs from October 2 to 6. The action was organized by the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC). Its president, Ricardo Penarroyas, told the Lusa news agency that 443 flights have been canceled in advance at the airports in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. According to the union, this represents about 80% of the flights scheduled to depart from these hubs during the five-day strike.

EasyJet estimates that it will operate about 55% of its scheduled flights during the strike. Minimum service requirements cover approximately 22% of operations based in Portugal. The remaining flights are being operated by aircraft and crews from other European bases. The airline emphasizes that it is acting in accordance with the law, while SNPVAC considers the replacement of striking workers with employees from other bases to be illegal. After the first day, the union estimated that 100% of its members participated in the strike and reported two flights operated outside of the minimum service requirements. SNPVAC plans to file a complaint with the Labor Conditions Authority (ACT) and take the matter to court.

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easyJet flight attendants’ demands and dates of the next strike

easyJet flight attendants are demanding more stable work schedules, salary increases based on seniority, and the terms proposed during collective bargaining negotiations. The flight attendants have scheduled a second strike for December 19–23 in case the parties fail to reach an agreement. The strike will affect, in particular, flights between mainland Portugal, Madeira, and Porto Santo, as well as international routes, so passengers should check the status of their reservations.

Important! Strikes at airports and disruptions in public services may affect your travel plans to Portugal. Before your trip, be sure to arrange travel insurance, which will help you feel more confident while abroad. You can purchase a travel insurance policy on the Visit World portal.

Before purchasing, carefully review which risks are covered by the selected insurance plan.

Get travel insurance from Visit World in advance and plan your trip to Portugal with peace of mind!

Reminder! In a previous article, we mentioned that Portugal provides financial assistance for relocation to sparsely populated regions.

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