The six unions had a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to analyse the Government's counterproposal, but in the absence of the document, the meeting was used to coordinate protests.

The strike was convened by all six Portuguese nurses' unions: the Union of Portuguese Nurses, the Union of Nurses, Independent Union of Nursing Professionals, Democratic Union of Nurses of Portugal, Portuguese Trade Union of Nurses and the Union of Nurses of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

Later on Wednesday, the representatives of the six unions are due to meet with the head of the Order of Nurses, Ana Rita Cavaco, about career negotiations.