On July 15, half-a-million public sector workers joined a one-day strike to protest cuts to their pensions, a wages freeze and higher taxes. Organised by the Common Front of Civil Service Unions (FP), the strike involved garbage collectors, transport workers, health workers, administration workers and court staff. The FP claimed strong support, and said 75% of its members joined the strike. After its February election, Portugal’s Socialist Party was expected to implement less neoliberal cuts than it predecessor. However, it almost immediately claimed that the budget deficit of 6.3% was much higher than expected, and implemented a fresh round of attacks on working people, including slashing 75,000 public sector jobs, and an attempt to increase the retirement age, which sparked a strike involving 85% of the country’s nurses. On June 22, a strike of the security sector involved police officers, the national guard and the maritime police. More protests are expected on June 28, as the vote on the retirement age approaches.

From Green Left Weekly, July 27, 2005.
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