Portugal faced widespread disruption on Friday as more than 350,000 public administration workers walked off the job, closing schools from the Algarve to the Azores and slowing everything from rubbish collection to court services. The 24-hour stoppage, called by three unions affiliated with the CGTP confederation, is the latest flashpoint in a long-running dispute over career progression and pay.
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) organised the action, which covers operational assistants, technical assistants and senior technicians. Union coordinator Sebastião Santana, speaking outside the shuttered Francisco Arruda School in Lisbon, described turnout as strong and said closures had been reported nationwide, including in Madeira and the Azores.
Schools shut and services curtailed
Education has been the most visible casualty. Dozens of schools kept their gates closed for lack of staff, leaving families to scramble for childcare. Beyond classrooms, the strike is expected to affect social security offices, land registry and notary services, the justice system and municipal waste collection. Local health units under the Ministry of Health may also see reduced capacity.
In Lisbon, protesters gathered for a march from Praça da Figueira to the Ministry of Finance, pressing the government to immediately upgrade professional career structures. The unions argue that years of frozen progression have left public servants demoralised and underpaid, contributing to staff shortages across the administration.
easyJet cabin crew walkout cancels hundreds of flights
Separately, easyJet cabin crew began a five-day strike on Friday that will run until Tuesday, with the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) reporting strong participation. The union expects around 80% of flights to be cancelled over the period. SNPVAC president Ricardo Penarroias told the Lusa news agency that 443 flights have already been grounded at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports.
An easyJet source said the airline expects to operate roughly 55% of its schedule using compulsory minimum services and aircraft based elsewhere in Europe. Penarroias disputed that framing, claiming that flights not formally cancelled would be operated illegally under Portuguese strike rules.
"The company will carry out the minimum services, which are compulsory, and the other flights it has not cancelled are flights it will operate illegally," Penarroias said.
Cabin crew are demanding more stable rosters, pay progression based on seniority and improved terms in the company agreement currently under negotiation. A second stoppage has been scheduled for 19–23 December, threatening further travel chaos in the run-up to Christmas.
The twin actions come as Portugal's cost-of-living pressures continue to squeeze households, with housing costs a particular concern — a trend reflected in Portugal's house price surge that has outpaced much of the EU. Public sector unions say stagnant wages have made it harder to recruit and retain staff, while the government faces competing demands to keep spending in check.
For travellers, the easyJet disruption adds to a difficult autumn for European aviation, which has already seen record passenger numbers despite higher fuel costs, as covered in our report on EU summer flights hitting a record high. Passengers booked on affected routes are advised to check their airline's website for rebooking options and compensation entitlements under EU rules.
Further strike action in Portugal cannot be ruled out if negotiations stall. The December dates for easyJet crew are already fixed, and public sector unions have hinted at more stoppages unless the government moves on career structures. For now, the country is left to count the cost of a day when schools, offices and airports fell quiet.
