The issue of the recognition of the trade union rights of police officers resurfaced in Portugal in October 2000, with officers' representatives, backed by their European organisation, issuing renewed calls for the granting of such rights. Several legislative proposals on this issue are awaiting
In late 2000, the Portuguese Professional Footballers' Union is calling for a special state pensions scheme to cover professional sportspeople, as part of the current implementation of the new Basic Social Security Law. The union wants professional sportspeople's pensions to reflect their earnings
During 2000, the Portuguese airline TAP Air Portugal has launched a restructuring process. A social programme presented to employee representatives provides for workforce reductions, starting initially with voluntary departures.
In December 1999, Portugal's Supreme Court of Justice issued an important ruling under the terms of which one of the companies that resulted from the break-up and privatisation of a publicly-owned joint stock company, itself a former state-run company, was ordered to abide by a collective agreement
In autumn 1999, a law revising the Labour Procedural Code has been approved by Portugal's Council of Ministers and now awaits affirmation by the President of the Republic and official publication. The upcoming changes in procedures for court cases on labour and employment issues involves a
A new law introducing wide-ranging changes to the rules governing temporary agency work in Portugal was published at the beginning of September 1999. The law amends various aspects of the existing legal framework, dating from 1989.
Decree-Law 119/99 of 14 April 1999, which came into effect on 1 July, outlines a new legal framework for unemployment benefits under the general social security regime. It applies to all non self-employed workers.
In March 1999, an arbitration decision was issued in a dispute over the working conditions of pilots at TAP-Air Portugal, Portugal's national airline - the first such decision to be made in Portugal in 25 years. The conflict had been referred to an arbitration board by management and the SPAC trade
Legislation came into effect on 1 April 1999, regulating trade union freedom and the right of employees to organise in Portugal's public administration. This ends over two decades without any specific legislation on the issue.
In early 1999, the Portuguese SIM doctors' trade union called off a long-running "self-service" strike, whereby its individual members could choose when they withdrew their labour. The dispute sparked widespread discussion on the legitimacy of this type of strike and on the general issue of public