"Hundreds of workers flooded the streets of Lisbon on Tuesday to protest 'Trabalho XX,' the new labour package introduced by the Portuguese government. Footage shows demonstrators moving through the city with union banners while chanting, 'the labour package favours capital.' Protesters later gathered outside the Portuguese Assembly, where union leaders addressed the crowd amid heavy police presence. "On December 11th, the workers said no to the labour package. They said no to this attack on rights. They said no to this regression - to this trickery imposed by this government," exclaimed Tiago Oliveira, Secretary-General of the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP). "After the general strike, after this excellent response, the government thought it could sweep it under the rug and get away with it! It is very mistaken, we will not allow it," he stressed. The bill seeks to amend more than 100 articles of the nation's labour law, with Prime Minister Luis Montenegro arguing the changes are needed to boost economic growth and raise wages. "They think that we are people who don't deserve to be valued, that what we earn," claimed Carlos Piraca, a protester. "I'm here alongside other workers that were able to come to this protest action so that we can at least be considered Portuguese, considering that the 'good Portuguese' don't consider us Portuguese." Critics warn that the proposals would extend working hours, normalise precarious contracts and make dismissals easier, shifting power decisively toward employers. Protesters claim the reforms would deepen inequality and push workers further into precarious conditions. "This labour package is a setback on things that come from before the 25th of April. [...] These people want to go back to times even worse than the time of fascism," said Joao Veio, accusing the government of 'instilling fear' and weakening the right to strike. The demonstration was organised by Portugal's two main unions, CGTP and UGT, following a nationwide strike over the proposed reforms."