Portugal border staff strikes cancelled as govt steps in

A series of walkouts by border and immigration officers at Portugal’s airports was due to take place from 31 May through to 28 June.

But the Portuguese government moved on Thursday (27 May) to issue a legal decree to stop the strikes from taking place. Industrial action had been planned at the key gateway airports of Lisbon, Faro and Madeira.

Portugal is one of only 12 countries on the UK government’s green list of quarantine-free destinations, and there had been fears that the strike by airport staff could cause disruption to travel.

Portugal’s interior minister Eduardo Cabrita said the strikes could "ruin the summer" and added the move to call them was “unacceptable and irresponsible".

The decree to stop the strikes was justified by Portugal’s government as being a "national security" issue.