Portugal faced major disruptions on Wednesday as a nationwide general strike halted train services, cancelled hundreds of flights, and forced school closures. The strike, organized by the country’s largest labour union confederation, was called in protest against the government’s proposed labour reforms, marking the second nationwide shutdown in six months.

The centre-right government is pushing changes to more than 100 sections of Portugal’s labour code, arguing that the reforms are necessary to improve productivity and economic growth. However, unions claim the proposals would weaken worker protections by making dismissals easier, expanding outsourcing, increasing job insecurity, and limiting labour rights.

The strike affected key public services across the country. Rail operations were largely suspended, Lisbon’s metro system shut down, schools closed due to staffing shortages, and hospitals postponed many surgeries and appointments. Major airlines also reduced operations significantly, highlighting the widespread impact of the labour dispute as tensions continue between the government and unions.

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