Strike halts more than half of trains in Portugal

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – More than half of all trains scheduled to run in Portugal on Monday morning were canceled as workers began a four-day strike.

At least 143 of 249 trains were canceled, Portuguese news agency Lusa reported.

The strike being staged by workers of state-owned rail company Comboios de Portugal affects commuters traveling long distances, regionally, and in urban centers such as Lisbon and Porto.

The company warned last week there would be “severe disruptions” to service from Monday to Thursday.

Unions said talks over wages and working conditions have stalled.

The unions said the same of negotiations with state-owned company Infraestruturas de Portugal, which manages rail and road infrastructure, and its workers will launch a strike on Tuesday.

So far, 2023 has been marked by a number of strikes and protests across Portugal, with workers demanding wage increases that better reflect inflation.

Some teachers’ unions, for instance, have been striking on and off for months.

On Saturday, thousands took to the streets of Lisbon to protest the erosion of purchasing power. That came hardly a week after more than 100,000 rallied behind teachers demanding better working conditions.

Average wages in Portugal are the fifth-lowest among countries part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, according to the group’s data.

In 2021, the average Portuguese worker took home just under $30,000 per year.