Portugal’s largest trade union announced a week of industrial strike action

Unions announce week-long strike action

The leader of Portugal’s largest trade union on Sunday announced a week of industrial action for later this month to have workers’ rights returned to what they were before.

In a rally to mark Labour Day, Arménio Carlos, said the Communist-backed CGTP union would stage strikes from the 16 to 20  May, telling followers that change will be only achieved through an active struggle.

Among the grievances of the union is the fact that the government has been dragging its heels in following through on electoral promise to reduce working weeks from 40 to 35 hours.

The action is likely to have the biggest effect on the civil service.