Today marks the 50th anniversary in Portugal of the end of the dictatorship through the Carnation Revolution, which took place on April 25, 1974.
Since then, Portugal has seen a significant change in its model of society, which has had a strong impact on the reality of labor relations.
Most labor rights were instituted after April 25, 1974, and since then we have seen an evolution in the labor market and also in the needs, rights and duties of workers and employers.
One of the main changes has been the inclusion of women in the labor market, who until then had been limited in certain areas and socially were not looked upon favorably.
Wages have risen, GDP per capita has more than doubled and the inflation rate, although high at the moment, is no match for the figures of the 1970s. The employed population has increased substantially, and work has shifted from the primary sector (agriculture and livestock) to services. The workforce has become more qualified, with an abrupt reduction in the illiteracy rate.
Thus, the main measures that emerged with April 25, 1974, include (i) the establishment of the national minimum wage, (ii) the creation of a social pension for those who had not paid into the social security system, (iii) the establishment of Christmas and vacation bonuses, (iv) the creation of unemployment benefits, (v) a ban on unfair dismissals, (vi) the setting of severance pay, (vi) the right to maternity leave, (vii) the regulation of trade union activity and collective bargaining, (viii) the right to vacations, (ix) the right to strike, (x) the regulation of overtime work, (xi) the creation of the legal regime for the suspension of employment contracts (lay-off), among many other changes that we have experienced.
More recently, special attention has been paid to gender issues, particularly in relation to equality between men and women. Of particular note is the increase in parental leave periods and the various possibilities for mothers and fathers to organize this period taking into account their personal needs and practically in parity.
On the other hand, various pieces of legislation have been passed and measures taken to combat unequal pay, in order to mitigate and eliminate differences. Even so, this is still one of the biggest problems in our labor market and our society. According to data from the Commission for Equality in Work and Employment, women earn on average 16% less than men, without any justification.
Finally, reference should be made to the new working models that have developed greatly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, and which try, as far as possible, to establish greater autonomy for workers, with respect for their right to disconnection and work-life balance.
Also with a view to greater promotion of well-being at work, there is greater concern about combating workplace harassment, which is one of the legislator’s focuses and which to some extent is changing the way we see the labor market and labor relations.
With April 25, 1974, we began a major social and economic change, which was naturally reflected in the labor market and its legislation, and for that we should all, as a collective, be proud.
Even so, in a society as constantly evolving as ours, it is important to continue to develop creative mechanisms to promote safety and well-being in labor relations, as well as better working and living conditions for employers and employees, and always, always, in Freedom.
Cláudio Rodrigues Gomes @ DCM | Littler
