A national 24-hour general strike against austerity measures by Portuguese trade unions today brought public transport to a virtual standstill, closed government offices and state-owned companies and reduced staffing levels at public hospitals.


More... (http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/content/view/full/134766)

today's strike was only their fourth joint protest in 25 years.

Only 4 times in a quarter century...



Public-sector pay cuts and big rises in VAT and private income have contributed to the economy's downward spiral, with the jobless rate growing to 17.8 per cent and a third straight year of recession forecast in 2013.

But Portugal is locked into a troika-enforced austerity programme, which creditors demanded in return for a €78 billion (£66.5bn) bailout two years ago.

Unions are angered by the government's latest plans, which include increasing the working time of state employees to 40 hours a week from 35, increasing their monthly pension deductions while lowering entitlements and laying off some 50,000 government workers out of the total of about 583,000.


Given the failure to generate growth, major creditors the European Union and the International Monetary Fund have changed Portugal's deficit target for this year to 5.5 per cent of GDP from 4.5 per cent.

But at the same time,they have insisted that the government continue cost-cutting.

(My emphasis)

But the Prime Minister has the answer:


Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho claimed on Wednesday that Portugal "needs fewer strikes and more work and discipline."

I think the paraphrase here is "Shut up and go to work, dogs!" This won't last...

Only 4 times in a quarter century...






(My emphasis)

But the Prime Minister has the answer:



I think the paraphrase here is "Shut up and go to work, dogs!" This won't last...

What I want to know is what the difference is between today and 2-3 years ago when it seemed that everybody was in the street?