Home > General Strike Brings Italy to a Halt
The Times (UK)
October 24, 2003
General strike brings Italy to a halt
By Agencies
Unions protesting against the Italian Government’s
planned pensions reforms went on strike today, forcing
the country’s schools, trains, post offices and national
airline to close.
The four-hour general strike was called by Italy’s three
largest unions, which have also organised rallies in
Rome and city piazzas across the country.
Travellers faced serious disruption to their journeys,
as rail workers brought half of the country’s train
services to a standstill this morning.
Alitalia, the national flag-carrier, cancelled over 150
scheduled flights as airport and airline staff stopped
working, while another 124 flights would be rescheduled.
The left-wing CGIL union, the centrist CISL and the
Roman Catholic UIL, which together claim 11 million
members, are trying to force the Government to
reconsider its planned pensions reforms.
Guglielmo Epifani, general secretary of the CGIL, said:
’Either the Government withdraws the reform, so we can
begin real discussions, or we continue with the
strikes.’
Schools, post offices and public service offices are due
to stay closed for the whole day, while banks said they
hoped to provide a minimum service.
Hospital staff will also strike for the entire day,
although a skeleton emergency service will be operating.
Subways, trams, movie theatres, museums and
archaeological sites were also affected by the action.
Union officials are due to meet on Tuesday to decide on
further action, with plans already being drafted for a
larger eight-hour strike in the second half of December.
The pension reforms, which have been adopted by the
Cabinet but as yet not approved by Parliament, would
increase in the number of years an employee needs to
work in order to claim full benefits to 40.
At present, workers aged 57 or less must make pension
contributions for 37 years while those over 57 need to
work for a minimum of 35 years. The 40-year requirement
would take effect in 2008.
Today’s walkout comes around a decade after one million
people took to the streets to protest against a Signor
Berlusconi’s previous attempt at reforming pensions.
Despite opposition from the unions and within his
conservative coalition, Signor Berlusconi has vowed to
go ahead with his plans, and is aiming to push the
pension package through Parliament before the end of the
year.
The unions say the reform isn’t necessary and insist
Italy’s system is perfectly sustainable. They also
complain that the Government did not consult them on the
plan.