General strike hits planes, trains and services in Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal: Widespread disruption hit Portuguese air travel and trains, hospitals and schools Thursday as the unions called the biggest nationwi...

Lisbon, Portugal: Widespread disruption hit Portuguese air travel and trains, hospitals and schools Thursday as the unions called the biggest nationwide strike action for more than a decade against government labour reforms.

Lisbon's main train station was empty with most services cancelled and the TAP Air Portugal national airline called off about two thirds of its normal 250 flights.

According to unions, refuse collection was at a standstill along with hospital departments handling non-urgent cases. Schools and courts were also affected.

Unions have been infuriated by a law proposed to simplify firing procedures, extend the length of fixed-term contracts and expand the minimum services required during a strike.

Prime Minister Luis Montenegro insisted that the labour reforms, with more than 100 measures, were intended to "stimulate economic growth and pay better salaries".