Against budget plans: major strike wave in Italy

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The public sector is particularly affected by the work stoppages, with strikes taking place in schools, the post office and other service providers. Local public transport workers across the country are on strike from 9am to 1pm – so massive restrictions are to be expected. Air traffic is exempt from the strike.

With the strikes, the workers’ representatives want to underline their criticism of the right-wing alliance of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been in power since October 2022, and its budget plans. Instead of pushing for tax cuts as proposed in last month’s budget proposal, unions are calling for more investment in areas such as education, healthcare and industry.

The public transport strike was preceded by a dispute with Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini. To shorten the strike, which was supposed to last eight hours, he threatened to force him to report. Buses, metros, trams, trains and ferries are therefore only stationary for four hours. The first restrictions were noticeable in the cities on Friday morning. Due to canceled trains, replacement buses operated between central Rome and Rome Fiumicino Airport.

In addition to the strikes, several demonstrations will take place throughout the day. “We are taking to the streets to raise wages and oppose a budget that does not stop the dramatic impoverishment of workers and pensioners and does not offer a future to young people,” said Maurizio Landini, head of the CGIL trade union federation.

(SDA)

Source: Blick