Isabel Camarinha

Isabel Maria Robert Lopes Perdigão Camarinha (born 7 June 1960) is a Portuguese trade unionist who served as secretary‑general of the General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses – Intersindical Nacional, CGTP‑IN), the largest trade union confederation in Portugal, from February 2020 to February 2024.

Early life and education Camarinha was born in the Lisbon metropolitan area, in the parish of Moscavide, municipality of Loures, on 7 June 1960. She trained in law and became active in the labor movement as a young woman, later joining the staff of the Lisbon commerce, office and services union (later CESP/CGTP‑IN), where she worked as a union official.

In February 2020, at the XIV Congress of CGTP‑IN, she was elected secretary‑general, succeeding Arménio Carlos and becoming the first woman to lead the confederation in its history.

Secretary‑general of CGTP‑IN As secretary‑general, Camarinha emphasized combating precarious work, low wages and the erosion of collective bargaining, calling for a significant rise in the national minimum wage, stronger public services and the reversal of restrictive labor law reforms.

Political and ideological stance Camarinha is associated with the class struggle, anti‑neoliberal line historically defended by CGTP‑IN and closely aligned with the positions of the Portuguese Communist Party, although she is primarily known as a union rather than party figure. She has consistently argued for higher wages, price controls on essential goods, stronger social benefits, progressive taxation of large profits and the defence of national sovereignty within the European Union.