Why are 350,000 workers striking today?

Some schools may not open today, and it's only the first stoppage of the month. It's Friday, 2 October. Twenty-six degrees. Air quality: 28 (Good). Here's what you need to know.

🗞️ TOP STORY

TODAY'S STRIKE IS THE FIRST OF A BUSY OCTOBER

Around 350,000 public-sector workers in general roles are on strike today, and it's the first of a string of strikes and protests running through October. October is when the government presents its State Budget for the coming year, and it's traditionally the month unions push hardest.

Today's strike was called by three unions belonging to the CGTP, Portugal's largest trade union confederation, including STML, which represents Lisbon city council workers. It covers school support staff, the people who open, clean and supervise schools day to day, so some schools may not open at all. Health centres, hospitals and council services could also be affected, and unions have warned of disruption to rubbish collection. They want their careers revalued, and pay talks to start this year rather than next. There's a demonstration at 11am in Praça da Figueira.

Next comes Tuesday 6 October, when FENPROF, the largest teachers' union, strikes over overwork and overtime. Staff at AIMA, the immigration agency, stop work the same day, demanding a career structure that matches their duties. Meanwhile, easyJet's cabin crew in Portugal are holding a stoppage from today until 6 October, which in the worst case could mean cancelled flights.

The rest of the month keeps going. On 10 October, banking unions protest against a proposed 2% pay rise. On 17 October, the CGTP holds a national demonstration in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra, expected to be one of the biggest of the month. On 19 October, school support staff strike again.

If you have children in a public school, the dates to watch are 2, 6 and 19 October; check with the school each morning. If you have an AIMA appointment on the 6th, confirm it's going ahead before you travel. And if you're flying easyJet in the next few days, keep an eye on the app.

Bottom line: most of the disruption lands on schools and public services, and it eases after 19 October, at least until the banking unions strike again on 30 November.

⚡ QUICK HITS

The Bank of Portugal is warning of fake Multibanco cards arriving by post. Criminals are sending counterfeit cards for Multibanco, Portugal's cash machine and payment network, in letters that look genuine. They may already know the recipient's name, address and bank, and use them to personalise the mail. The giveaway is usually urgency, such as a threat to block the account unless the card is activated straight away. Genuine replacement cards arrive in the weeks before the old one expires, and there's no rush: a card works until the last day printed on it. Cards can only be activated three ways: at a cash machine, on the bank's website, or in its app. Never use a phone number, link or QR code from the letter. If in doubt, call your bank.

New EU rules will allow a second free cabin bag from late 2027 at the earliest. Passengers will be able to board with a personal item under the seat plus a second cabin bag, up to 7kg, with its length, width and height adding up to no more than 100cm, at no extra charge. easyJet says it expects the change from around October 2027. There's a catch on UK routes: the rule applies to flights leaving the EU, not the UK, so a London to Faro return could come with different allowances on each leg. The same is expected for British Airways and Jet2. Size matters too: easyJet's standard large cabin case adds up to 126cm, so it won't qualify. The wider package also makes delay claims easier and lets children under 14 sit with an adult at no extra cost.

Weekend trains are returning to Alcântara-Terra after 11 years. From 13 December, when the 2027 timetable starts, trains on the Azambuja line will serve Alcântara-Terra station again on weekends and public holidays. CP, the national rail company, will also run more trains between Castanheira do Ribatejo and Alcântara-Terra. The weekend service was dropped in June 2015 for lack of passengers. The government confirmed the return after Livre, one of the smaller left-wing parties, raised it. The city council had backed a Communist Party proposal to restore the service in July 2025, and the residents' group Vizinhos de Lisboa had complained about the lack of a direct weekend link to the city centre.

Canalizador de Lisboa — English Speaking Plumber for 24/7 Emergencies

It's not a great feeling. A pipe bursts under the sink at nine on a Sunday night, water is going somewhere it should not, and the one number you have leads to a rushed phone call in Portuguese you cannot quite follow. Finding a trustworthy tradesperson is hard enough in your own language. Here, the language barrier turns a small emergency into a stressful one.

Canalizador de Lisboa takes that problem off the table. It is a plumbing and bathroom-renovation service that works with international residents in English, around the clock, so you can explain what is wrong, understand exactly what needs doing, and know what you are paying for before anyone picks up a wrench.

They handle the everyday emergencies and the bigger jobs alike:

Homeowners, tenants, landlords, Airbnb hosts and businesses all use them, whether it is a leak that needs sorting at midnight or a bathroom that needs redoing next month. They cover Lisbon and the surrounding areas, including Cascais, Sintra and Costa da Caparica.

→ Get their details and learn more here

Worth saving their number to your phone now. When something needs fixing at 2am, you'll be glad you did.

We only partner with businesses we think genuinely help our community. If this is useful to you, or if you know someone still hunting for a plumber they can actually talk to, every click and every share goes a long way to keeping this newsletter free every morning.

🍽️ SPOT OF THE DAY

JNCQUOI ASIA (AVENIDA DA LIBERDADE)

JNcQUOI Asia covers four of the continent's cuisines under one roof on Avenida da Liberdade: Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Indian. It doesn't do fusion. Each gets its own section of the menu, from dim sum and curries to tandoori and a dedicated sushi bar. Standouts include the dumplings and the black cod with miso (€50).

It's also regularly named one of Lisbon's most Instagrammable restaurants, and it's built for a show. A gold dragon hangs at the centre of the main dining room, and the open kitchen runs the length of the room, with two tandoor ovens, wok and dumpling stations, a robata grill and dedicated ovens for the Peking duck. The space is split between a main dining room, a sushi bar room, a bar and a terrace, and diners rate it 4.6 out of 5 on Google.

The sushi bar is run by chef Rui Rosário, who joined in October 2025 after training in Japan, including several years in Tokyo. He works in the traditional Edomae style, with the focus on the rice and on Portuguese fish: think the Maguro Feast, 12 pieces of bluefin tuna with caviar, or a red velvet roll of lean and fatty tuna with fresh wasabi. The counter is U-shaped, so you watch the chefs cut and shape every piece.

Worth knowing before you go: it isn't cheap. The average bill is around €55 a head, a 12-piece sashimi selection is €32, and the Peking duck is €180. The dress code is smart casual. It's open every day from noon until late.

→ Find them here ←

Insider tip: go at lunchtime for the dim sum trolley, which runs every day from 12pm to 4pm at €9.50 for two pieces. It's the cheapest way to try the place.

📅 WHAT'S ON

See you tomorrow morning.

Reach Lisbon's English-speaking community, every morning. Advertise.