Lisbon, Sept. 3, 2025 (Lusa) - Airports in Portugal could be disrupted again as of Wednesday, when a strike by two unions at Menzies, the company that handles ground handling services, begins and lasts until January.

The strike, called by SIMA - Sindicato das Indústrias Metalúrgicas e Afins and the Sindicato dos Transportes (STA), covers various periods between 00:00 today and 24:00 on 2 January, for a total of 76 days.

The Court of Arbitration of the Economic and Social Council has decreed minimum services. SIMA has “strongly denounced the decision of the Court of Arbitration regarding the strike at SPdH/Menzies”, arguing that “what has been imposed are not minimum services” and pointing out that it requires “ensuring around 80% of normal operations”.

In August, SIMA announced the scheduling of new strikes by workers from the company responsible for ground handling services, to be held in alternating periods between now and 2 January 2026, including long weekends and busy dates such as Christmas and New Year.

SIMA's new notice comes after strikes in July and August and the suspension of stoppages planned for the end of August, following contacts with the Ministry of Labour.

Menzies, for its part, said that the cancellation of the latest strikes "was not the result of any agreement, negotiation or concession", assuring that its position "remains unchanged" and that there have been no changes to the commitments made until 2029.

The first strike will take place from 00:00 today until 24:00 on 9 September, followed by further stoppages from 12 to 15 September, 19 to 22 September and 26 to 28 September.

In October, stoppages are scheduled from 3 to 6, 10 to 13, 17 to 20, 24 to 27 and 31 to 3 November. This will be followed by more stoppages from 07 to 10 November, 14 to 17 November, 21 to 24 November, 28 to 01 December, 05 to 08 December and 12 to 15 December.

The last stop is scheduled from 19 December to 02 January 2026.

ALN/ADB // ADB.

Lusa