Thousands of Italian Workers March To Demand Better Pay, Services

Thousands of teachers, healthcare workers, trash collectors, and others staged an eight-hour strike across Italy, protesting reduced spending power, low wages, and government policies they claim have weakened public services, Colleen Barry and Paolo Santalucia reported this for the Associated Press (AP).

This was Italy’s first general strike since November 2023. I Photo: CGIL Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro

Italy's most influential trade unions organized the strike and marches in cities nationwide to protest Premier Giorgia Meloni's latest budget, which they say cuts funding to schools, healthcare, and other essential services.

The unions are also pushing for a more equitable distribution of corporate profits among workers.

"These protests don't just speak to the government," said Maurizio Landini, head of the CGIL conglomerate, in Bologna.

"They also speak to entrepreneurs, managers, and businesses, who in recent years have made unprecedented profits."

The strike disrupted daily life, forcing ITA Airlines to cancel numerous domestic and international flights and impacting schools, hospitals, and local transportation.

Although unions called for an eight-hour strike, Transport Minister Matteo Salvini limited the strike in the transport sector to four hours via an injunction. It marked Italy’s first general strike since November 2023.

Unions risk sanctions for involving the healthcare and justice sectors, both of which have seen recent labor actions. Italian railways, another frequent target of strikes, were exempted this time.