The general secretary of the UGT is convinced that the general strike called for Thursday, December 11th, in conjunction with the CGTP, “will not fail”, anticipating a “firm and determined response from workers” in the face of the draft revision of the labor law.
“Our expectation is that there will be a firm and determined response from workers, because what is on the table with this draft is, in fact, a proposal that has a very negative impact on people’s lives and the lives of families in Portugal”, said Mário Mourão, in an interview with the Lusa agency, regarding the general strike called for December 11th.
In view of the “several plenary sessions” in which he was present and where he found that “workers were unhappy with the proposal that is on the table”, the UGT leader anticipates a strong support for the general strike, which will bring the two unions together again 12 years later.
“This strike will not fail,” he says.
Mário Mourão also reiterated that the strike was called in light of the negotiating impasse experienced, given that there were “several bilateral meetings with the Government” and the proposal remained the same since it was presented, on July 24, so the trade union central “saw no other alternative than to take to the streets”.
After the announcement of the general strike, the Minister of Labor submitted a new proposal to UGT. “The proposal has improved in one aspect or another”, admits the UGT leader, giving the example of issues linked to breastfeeding, parenting or the increase from 14 to 15 days in compensation for collective dismissal.
However, considers that the concessions are “harmless” and that they are, therefore, “very far” from an agreement with the Government.