Last Thursday, an unprecedented one-day strike by journalists shook the Portuguese media landscape. This mobilization, the first in 42 years, brought together the entire profession, denouncing the precarious conditions and insufficient remuneration in their sector of activity.
Historic journalists' strike in Portugal: A cry against job insecurity and low wages
In the Portuguese media landscape, a recent mobilization has captured national and international attention. Last Thursday, reporters from all over the country united their voices in a mobilization historyThis day of protest, the first of its kind for more than four decades, highlights the challenges facing the journalistic profession in Portugal. This day of protest, the first in over four decades, highlights the challenges facing the journalistic profession in Portugal, and the urgent need for solutions to guarantee free, ethical and fair journalism.
Initiated by the Union, this mobilization involved some forty editorial offices across the country, including well-known national and local media. The press agency Lusa suspended its publishing activities, while Antena 1 and TSF radio stations did without their usual newspapers. Even the online editions of emblematic titles such as Publico and Visao ceased news distribution.
At the heart of this mobilization, the demands of the entire profession are clear: decent wages and a guarantee of compliance with labor standards, particularly with regard to overtime pay. They denounce the job insecurity that hampers their ability to provide quality information to citizens.
This strike comes against an already worrying backdrop for the media sector in Portugal. Global Media, one of the country's leading press groups, recently announced a new redundancy plan affecting some twenty employees, including ten journalists, due to persistent financial difficulties. The announcement sparked outrage from the union, which denounced a solution that favors redundancies, despite the potential resources from the sale of certain titles.
This strike marks a turning point in the recent history of Portuguese journalism. The last mobilization on this scale was in 1982, underlining the urgency of the current situation. As guardians of information, journalists play a crucial role in society. Their fight for fair and equitable working conditions is therefore essential to preserve the integrity of the profession and guarantee free and transparent access to information for all Portuguese citizens.
