Portugal Hit by Second General Strike in Six Months

Portugal has been hit by the second general strike in six months, with transport, schools and hospitals all impacted by the industrial action.

Unions called the 24-hour strike in protest at plans by the government to reform labor laws, saying they would deregulate working hours, make dismissals easier, curb strike rights and lower parental protections.

What disruption has the strike caused?

State-owned ⁠railway ​CP has suspended long-distance trains and most regional services amid the strike.

The metro in the capital, Lisbon, has shut.

Across the country, schools have closed, while hospitals have postponed most surgeries and appointments after nurses walked out.

The aviation sector has also been impacted, with national flag carrier TAP saying it would operate just 79 of the more than 300 flights it makes daily.

Spanish airline Iberia says it expects reductions of between 50% and 75%.

A protest march is planned through Lisbon starting at 2.30 p.m. local time (1430 GMT).

What have unions and the government said about the reform plans?

The labor code reform package put forward by Portugal's minority center-right government is likely to pass with support from the far-right Chega party.

Tiago Oliveira, head of Portugal's largest umbrella union CGTP, ​told Reuters news agency that the reforms would worsen workers' conditions with changes to working hours as well as their rights in case of dismissal.

Among other things, he said the reforms would leave young workers "stuck ‌on precarious contracts for life," forcing them to work 50 hours ‌a ​week without extra pay instead of the current standard 40 hours.

The government has said the changes aim to boost productivity and spur ​growth.

Wednesday's strike is only the third general shutdown in Portugal since protests against austerity in 2013.