Portugal Labor

A 24-hour general strike shut factories, airports and banks across Portugal as hundreds of thousands of workers staged the biggest industrial action in the country's history to protest government labor reforms. Labor federations called the strike a victory for the unions over the center-right government of Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva. But Cavaco Silva said the strike will not cause him to alter a government bill that would make it easier for businesses to fire workers.

Thousands of bus drivers, nurses and teachers stayed away from work Thursday in the latest wave of labor unrest to hit Portugal.

More than 2,000 tour guides and interpreters staged a 24-hour strike Sunday, complaining that tour operators were illegally employing foreign guides who were not qualified. Strikers blocked a road leading to Faro Airport on the Algarve coast of southern Portugal for 30 minutes Sunday morning as part of the protest. Police did not intervene and there were no incidents.

A 24-hour general strike shut factories, airports and banks across Portugal as hundreds of thousands of workers staged the biggest industrial action in the country's history to protest government labor reforms. Labor federations called the strike a victory for the unions over the center-right government of Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva. But Cavaco Silva said the strike will not cause him to alter a government bill that would make it easier for businesses to fire workers.

Roulette wheels stopped spinning in most of Portugal's casinos Saturday as croupiers began a weekend strike to protest government plans to tax all tips. Gambling was severely curtailed in the country's seven licensed gaming halls, including three on the Algarve tourist coast and the famous Estoril casino near Lisbon, union and company sources said.

Bay City Marine Inc. plans to hire 130 workers this year and up to 500 within three years to staff a new shipbuilding operation on the National City waterfront. Irving Refkin, executive vice president of the privately held ship repair and construction firm, said Bay City has begun a million-dollar improvement plan at the former ITT Cable Division facility to ready it for construction of small military boats.

Roulette wheels stopped spinning in most of Portugal's casinos Saturday as croupiers began a weekend strike to protest government plans to tax all tips. Gambling was severely curtailed in the country's seven licensed gaming halls, including three on the Algarve tourist coast and the famous Estoril casino near Lisbon, union and company sources said.