Unions, business groups clash over work laws // Lots of restaurants hit by four-person limit
Portuguese news in English on September 16, 2020.
By the numbers
Yesterday’s 425 new confirmed cases were the fewest in a week but we’re back above 600 again today. Hospitalisations are still on the rise (almost 100 more than a week ago) and intensive care patients are increasing too, although not as rapidly or regularly. The Lisbon and the Tejo Valley is still recording more cases than the North most days but often not by much. The Centre and Alentejo are now regularly recording dozens of cases while the Algarve’s daily case numbers are mostly hovering in the teens.
Active, recovered, deaths, contacts under surveillance, confirmed, hospitalised, in ICU.
Unions, business groups clash over new work laws
There’s still some confusion about the government’s new plans for workers in Lisbon and Porto, which Lusa reports should go through the Council of Ministers tonight. The draft law allows employees to change working hours — as long as it doesn’t cause serious harm to the worker — after consulting with workers or a representative such as a union and posting the changes at least five days before they take effect. Broadly speaking, unions say it gives businesses too much power, while business groups say it’s already happening, and any good business should have plans such as this in place to protect its workers. As it stands, parents with children under 12, reduced working capacity, chronic illnesses and those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have recently given birth are exempt. There may be changes so I’ll go into more detail on Friday after the law is brought in.
Lots of cafes and restaurants hit by four-person limit
When I first heard about the ban on groups larger than four in cafes and restaurants within 300 metres of schools, I was immediately worried for a few places in my neighbourhood. But I didn’t realise it would be this far reaching. Público (paywall) has plotted the country’s eateries, schools and universities on a map to try to create a rough idea of who will be affected. In Lisbon, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Braga and Faro, it’s a huge number. Where I live, there are so many schools that hardly any venues are far enough away to allow gatherings of up to 10 people. The owners of the establishments are the ones responsible for checking if they’re affected or not. One cafe owner in Aveiro said he didn’t think it would hurt business too much and if more than four people came together they would be seated at separate tables.
The blue circles are school zones and the dots are restaurants or cafes. Central Lisbon is heavily covered. Screenshot from Público
As is Porto.
EU proposes minimum wage rules and bigger climate emissions cuts
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has advocated a framework for minimum wages across the bloc and called for deeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, Diário de Notícias reports. In her State of the Union address, she said it was time for Europe to lead the way out of the fragility of the pandemic “towards a new vitality”. The President promised a more assertive EU response to global events, called for a stronger European Health Union, and proposed an emissions reduction of 55% by 2030 — a significant increase on the current 40% target. According to Reuters, the EU is not trying to set one minimum wage or even one system across all of Europe but to ensure a broader set of conditions. Ms von der Leyen also insisted now was not the time to remove coronavirus health and stimulus packages and that the UK could not back out of the Brexit Agreement. You can read more on the emissions target from Reuters in English, the speech as a whole from Euronews or the speech itself in full.
In brief
Portuguese health authority says elbow bump greetings have 'low risk' of contagion. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently warned against the gesture. (Público)
Six people detained for crimes against police breaking up gatherings (Público)
One month old baby left in evangelical church due to financial difficulties (Diário de Notícias)
More than 60% of young people were victims of “cyberbullying” in the pandemic. Among the bullies, almost a third felt indifferent or even cheerful in the face of the damage caused, a study found. (Público
Sweden spared European surge as coronavirus infections stay low (Guardian, in English)
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On a lighter note
An incredibly rare baby animal has been born in a Porutguese zoo. It doesn’t get much “lighter note” than that, surely. Zoo Santo Inácio, in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto, says the dama gazelle is the rarest and largest in the world. The most recent edition, born on September 3, will help boost the stocks of a critically endangered species the zoo says has been reduced to only 250 living adults. Director Teresa Guedes said she hoped the zoo could work with other institutions to restore the population to a level at which they could return the animals to the Sahara, Público reported.
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