Lisbon Metro Partial Strikes Imposed with Minimum Services
The arbitration court has ordered minimum service levels for upcoming partial strikes on October 28 and 30, keeping only a specific list of stations open during morning rush hours.
An arbitration court has established mandatory minimum service requirements for the partial strikes called at the Lisbon Metro for October 28 and 30. This ruling marks a shift from recent decisions that treated the metro differently than other public transportation systems, ensuring that limited operations will continue across the network's four lines despite the planned labor actions.
During the strike periods, operations will run from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM, with 25% of the normal train schedule maintained. This corresponds to four trains on the Blue line, four on the Yellow line, three on the Green line, and two on the Red line. However, trains will not stop at every location, and only 26 specific stations will remain open to the public.
On the Blue Line, accessible stations will include Reboleira, Pontinha, Colégio Militar, Jardim Zoológico, Praça de Espanha, São Sebastião, Marquês de Pombal, Baixa-Chiado, Terreiro do Paço, and Santa Apolónia. The Yellow Line will open Odivelas, Campo Grande, Cidade Universitária, Entre Campos, Saldanha, and Rato. The Green Line will serve Telheiras, Alameda, Rossio, Baixa-Chiado, and Cais do Sodré, while the Red Line will operate through Aeroporto, Oriente, Alameda, Saldanha, and São Sebastião.
All other stations will remain closed to the public until 10:00 AM, though security will monitor the premises with the option to open exterior access if necessary. The strikes are organized by operations management and Central Control Post workers responsible for movement and traction operations.
The decision to mandate minimum services was driven by three key factors: the repetition of strikes by the same professional groups within a span of six months, the timing of the actions during peak morning commute hours when alternative travel options become socially burdensome due to cumulative disruptions, and the fact that a very small fraction of workers can halt the entire operation.
The labor representative on the panel voted against the decision, arguing that imposing coercive train circulation violates the Portuguese Constitution and the Labor Code by restricting the right to strike without addressing unavoidable social needs, especially when other surface and heavy rail transit systems operate normally.
Complicating regional transit further, a separate strike by train operators, ticket office workers, and managers at CP - Comboios de Portugal is scheduled for Friday, October 30, over rising living costs and commuting expenses. This railway strike is expected to create additional disruptions in circulation across the surrounding days.