Due to vote on Thursday, it is likely that the PS government will agree to ‘accelerating plans’ to reintroduce a 35-hour working week for all sectors this year.
Initially, the reduction from 40-hours was said to be impossible for doctors and nurses when the law changes for other sectors on July 1, explains Correio da Manhã.
With protests threatened, plans now are to open negotiations with unions during the summer.
Hopes are that agreements will thus be in place in time for the 1000 nurses that are planned to enter the state health service in October, says the paper.
Portugal is voting to reintroduce the 35-hour week at a time when in France the government has sought to extend it – among many other reforms to its complex labour laws – and is now facing nationwide civil unrest.
