Portugal's biggest trade union confederation CGTP on Friday called a general strike for November 24 to protest austerity measures announced by Prime Minister Jose Socrates' government. "Workers with a strong sense of responsibility" should join a "big general strike," dpa quoted CGTP leader Manuel Carvalho da Silva as saying. The communist-oriented CGTP urged other unions to join the strike call, including the UGT, which is linked to Socrates' Socialist Party. Debt-ridden Portugal on Wednesday announced a surprise expansion of its austerity plans, hours after the European Commission unveiled proposals to crack down on EU governments unable to keep their finances in order. The measures include cutting public sector wages by 5 per cent in 2011, freezing pensions, and raising value-added tax. In March, Portugal instituted a programme for stability and growth designed to decrease the record deficit from 9.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 to below the EU limit of 3 per cent by 2013.
