A 24-hour general strike is taking place in Italy. Workers are protesting against the policies of the current government led by Giorgia Meloni, demanding an "increase in wages and reduce weapons".
According to the statement of the Union of Main Trade Unions, which announced the strike, Meloni's government "is directing resources towards the military economy, contributing to the growth of social inequality and dragging it into the funnel of a new world war." ” ” This applies not only to social problems, politics and culture, education, healthcare are under attack, civil rights and democracy are limited,” the text of the statement says. Among other things, it is stated that the workers are opposed to “Italy's growing involvement in the war in the East“.
According to the agency ANSA, the strike mainly affects public transport and has not yet led to serious complications, despite the cancellation of bus routes, the closure of some metro lines in major cities and the suspension of urban electric train services. The Minister of Infrastructure, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, tried to limit the strike to four hours by special decree, but this order was challenged in the administrative court, which confirmed the workers' right to a 24-hour strike.
The trade unions held two rallies in Rome and Milan. According to ANSA, several hundred people gathered at the Rome march. Slogans were heard: “Enough money for the war!“ We charge a minimum fee of 10 euros per hour! No more deaths in the workplace!“
One of the topics of the statements of this trade union association is the defense of Palestinian rights. Representatives of the Jewish community condemned the fact that the union statement speaks of "Italian support for the genocide of the Israeli government".
The current strike is the second in the last month. On November 29, a general strike was held by the two largest trade unions - the Italian General Confederation of Labor and the Italian Trade Union Confederation. However, the Federation of Main Trade Unions did not support this action, using its autonomy and raising more categorical political demands. The protests were caused by dissatisfaction with the new budget of the cabinet, which, according to the unions, violates the rights and interests of workers.