The general strike of December 11th did not come out of nowhere, nor is it an isolated episode in the country’s life. It is, above all, the reflection of a deeply deteriorated social climate, where collective frustration has become the common denominator among health professionals, teachers, security forces, transport workers, judicial employees and many other sectors of the State.
The Portuguese believed in the promises made to them. They believed that political change would ultimately result in better living and working conditions. But those promises turned into silence, postponement or backtracking. Today, they live with salaries that do not keep up with the cost of living, with public services on the verge of collapse and with the feeling that the State, instead of protecting them, is pushing them into an increasingly difficult life.
It is necessary to tell the truth: most of these strikes are carried out by public employees, who are not at risk of dismissal, but whose actions have a direct and immediate impact on the lives of citizens, taxpayers and voters. A country cannot permanently function in a climate of suspension, but it also cannot ignore the widespread discontent of those who keep the State functioning.
As a deputy, and as a citizen, I hope that Portugal does not stop. Nobody benefits from a country at a standstill, not families, not companies, not the economy that is already under pressure from a cycle of stagnation. But we cannot pretend that there are no reasons for this contestation. There is an entire country that feels abandoned in its difficulties and disrespected in its legitimate expectations.
CHEGA did everything in its power to prevent the strike from being called, making itself available to negotiate changes to the labor law. But the Government chose the easiest and most dangerous path: an outdated vision that turns the labor market into a jungle, where those who work feel disposable and undervalued.
By insisting on a law that gives the impression that workers are “worthless”, the Government makes a political, social and human error. At a time when there is so much talk about combating subsidization, it is contradictory to present proposals that weaken those who work and those who support the country.
And while this is happening, we are witnessing what I call “bad unionism”: trains suppressed before the strike itself, users harmed, families who paid for passes and were left without transport. The labor struggle is legitimate, but you can never forget that there is an entire society that depends on essential services.
As for the economy, we now hear the Government talking about an average salary of 2500 or 3000 euros. I am the first to recognize that it is urgent to increase the average wage, which, in fact, is dangerously close to the minimum wage. But this depends on real growth, a serious economic strategy and productive investment. None of that is happening. So far, we have not seen a single economic measure capable of changing the country’s course.
Portugal is tired, and rightly so. Politics cannot continue to be apart from the idea of service, transforming itself into an instrument of distrust and inequality. The role of political leaders is to prevent the country from slipping into social disintegration and today, unfortunately, we see exactly this risk.
The general strike is not just a protest. It’s a warning. This is the country saying that it can no longer take empty promises, incomplete reforms and wrong decisions.
And as a deputy, I reaffirm: I will always be on the side of the Portuguese who work, pay taxes, support the State and demand respect. Portugal does not deserve to stop. But much less deserves to continue living like this.
Economist and deputy to the Assembly of the Republic for Chega