Public services and transportation came to a grinding halt in Portugal Wednesday as the country experienced its biggest strike in 22 years. Two major trade unions called a 24-hour strike to protest government austerity measures.
The strike grounded most flights, closed ports, and stopped subway trains, bus and ferry connections, according to Portuguese daily news Diario Noticias.
France 24 reported that hospitals, schools, and other public services were also affected.
The General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (CGTP) and General Worker’s Union (UGT) that called for the strike, reported 3 million participants, mostly from the public sector.
Portuguese Minister of Labor Helen Andrew, rejected this number saying that the country continued to function through the strikes, whereas if 3 million out of 4.9 million registered workers in Portugal had indeed participated, the country would have stopped, according to Portuguese online newspaper, diariodigital.
The government will vote Nov. 26 on next year’s spending plan with austerity measures including a 5 percent cut from some public sector salaries, a hiring freeze, and raise the value added tax from 21 to 23 percent, according to Bloomberg.
The strike grounded most flights, closed ports, and stopped subway trains, bus and ferry connections, according to Portuguese daily news Diario Noticias.
France 24 reported that hospitals, schools, and other public services were also affected.
The General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (CGTP) and General Worker’s Union (UGT) that called for the strike, reported 3 million participants, mostly from the public sector.
Portuguese Minister of Labor Helen Andrew, rejected this number saying that the country continued to function through the strikes, whereas if 3 million out of 4.9 million registered workers in Portugal had indeed participated, the country would have stopped, according to Portuguese online newspaper, diariodigital.
The government will vote Nov. 26 on next year’s spending plan with austerity measures including a 5 percent cut from some public sector salaries, a hiring freeze, and raise the value added tax from 21 to 23 percent, according to Bloomberg.
