by InTrieste
Italy braces for a nationwide general strike on Friday, November 17, anticipating widespread disruptions in public transport, education, and healthcare services.
Originally slated as a 24-hour protest, the strike affecting public transport has been curtailed to four hours following a government injunction—a move that has incensed trade unions.
The call for the strike emanates from two of Italy’s major trade unions, CGIL and UIL, who are rallying for salary increases and voicing dissent against the government’s 2024 budget bill.
Public transport workers across Italy plan to cease operations from 09:00 to 13:00 on Friday, excluding Milan, Naples, and Bologna.
Meanwhile, the broader strike involving public sector workers will endure for eight hours, impacting schools, healthcare services, post offices, and waste collection.
To detail the services affected by Friday’s strike and the respective timelines:
Public Transport:
- Buses, subways, trams, ships, and ferry services in Italy will be at risk from 09:00 to 13:00.
Trains:
- Excluding Trenord in the northern Lombardia region, all railway lines, including Trenitalia and Italo, will face disruption from 09:00 to 13:00.
Taxis:
- Taxi services are susceptible to disruption from 00:01 to midnight on Friday.
Planes:
- Flights and airports will operate as usual, but travelers should be aware that taxi services are not guaranteed.
Public Sector:
- Public sector employees, spanning health, education, postal services, cleaning, and refuse collection, plan an eight-hour strike, impacting post offices, medical visits, as well as kindergartens, schools, and universities.
Private Sector:
- Workers in companies within the central regions, namely Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo, and Molise, will strike for eight hours or the entire working day.
Inter-regional Strikes:
- CGIL and UIL’s protests are divided into five days of inter-regional strikes: Sicily on Monday, November 20; the northern regions on Friday, November 24; Sardinia on Monday, November 27; and the southern regions on Friday, December 1.
For official updates on upcoming strikes in Italy, refer to the transport ministry website and local Trieste website.
