Tens of thousands of teachers demonstrated in Portugal on Saturday for higher wages and better career opportunities. The protest march in the capital Lisbon was one of the largest in recent years. The socialist government under Prime Minister Antonio Costa is also facing a wave of dissatisfaction in other parts of the population in view of the sharp increase in the cost of living.
It was the third time in a few weeks that teachers and school employees in Portugal had come together for a large demonstration. In Portugal, teachers in the lowest salary bracket earn about 1100 euros, and even in higher salary brackets it is often less than 2000 euros.
Education Minister Joao Costa said on Saturday that negotiations with the teachers’ unions were ongoing and that an agreement was hoped to be reached soon. The umbrella union CGTP organized nationwide protests and strikes on Thursday. Nurses are on strike and doctors plan to stop work for two days in March.
Portugal is one of the poorest countries in Western Europe. According to government data, more than half of workers earned less than 1,000 euros a month last year. The minimum wage is 760 euros. As in many other countries, inflation was at its highest level in decades. House prices in Portugal rose by almost a fifth in 2022 and significantly more has to be paid for rental apartments.