Italy main unions defy government with national strike

ROME

Italian citizens faced delays and disruptions on Friday morning as transport workers and other public sector employees from Italy’s two largest unions went on strike to protest against the government's budget policies.

The CGIL and UIL unions had called a general strike of eight hours in the central regions of Italy, as well as a stop by public sector employees across the country.

In a move aimed at reducing the impact of the national strike, Transport minister and deputy premier Matteo Salvini imposed a halving of the hours of strike by transport workers to just four on Friday morning.

After a few days of high tensions between the union leaders and the far-right government, unions decided to go ahead with their plans in all the other sectors and announced further regional protests in the next two weeks.

CGIL leader Maurizio Landini said Salvini took a “grave step,” attacking the right to strike guaranteed by the Italian democracy.

Salvini said he was just doing his job and making sure Italians could still go to work on Friday.

The unions claimed a high participation in Friday’s strike, filling squares across Italy with protests against the government’s economic policies, seen hitting lower-income households and families battling with high inflation.

The Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni last month approved a 2024 budget including measures worth around €24 billion ($26 billion) in tax cuts and increased spending, despite concerns over the country's massive debt.

Thousands of workers held a rally in Rome's central Piazza del Popolo, where Landini addressed the protesters.

“All the squares (in Italy) are full of people as we haven't seen for years,” Landini said. “This day is the best, strongest and firmest response we could give to those who tried to question the right of striking.”