On Friday 30 October, Italy is preparing for a day of strong social tension due to the general strike called by the Basic Trade Union Union (USB). The union has called on workers in the public and private sectors to mobilize to protest against the uncontrolled increase in the cost of living, the decline in the purchasing power of wages and pensions, as well as requesting the reintroduction of the escalator, the drop in energy tariffs and the VAT cut on basic necessities.
At the basis of the protest there is also a marked opposition to the war economy and to the increase in military spending, with the formal request to divert public funds towards health, education and social services. The protest takes on international importance by involving port workers in over 100 seaports located in 17 countries to block arms trafficking.
The clash over transport and the injunction order
The point of maximum friction concerns the mobility sector. The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini signed an injunction to defer the strike in transport, accepting the indication of the Guarantee Commission for strikes based on the exemption foreseen for the commemoration of the deceased and the long weekend of 1 November. The USB, however, rejected the provision, branding it as illegitimate, confirming the mobilization and reiterating that any absences of workers must be qualified in all respects as adhesion to the union mobilization and not as unjustified absences. Should this happen, the union has declared that it intends to shoulder any economic sanctions which could reach tens of thousands of euros. Furthermore, with an official note, he firmly denounced the dissemination of notices that he believes are incorrect, incomplete and misleading, accusing companies of providing misinformation to generate confusion and derail the protest.
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Transport companies: the strike is postponed
Nonetheless, the main transport companies confirmed the normal performance of services, explaining that the strike is to be considered postponed to a later date. Trenitalia, Trenord, Atm in Milan, Atac and Cotral in Rome have made it known that their vehicles will circulate regularly according to the ordinary holiday or weekday timetable, providing for participation limited to union delegates only due to possible disciplinary sanctions on individual workers.
The demonstrations in the cities and the security plan in Rome
While public transport by road and rail is therefore moving towards partial or total regularity, the blocking of activities remains fully legitimate in other essential sectors, starting with schools and healthcare. Garrisons and events are planned in the main Italian squares. In Milan the concentration is set for 10:00 in Piazza Duca d’Aosta; in Turin at 9.30 am in Piazza Palazzo di Città ; in Bologna at 9.30 in Piazza Maggiore, while further demonstrations will be held in Novara, Brescia, Trieste, Padua and Bergamo.
The maximum alert of the police forces is concentrated in the capital Rome, where the event will see the participation of student groups such as Cambiare Rotta and Osa, antagonistic movements, social centers and pro-Palestine collectives. The authorized procession will start at 9:00 from Piazzale Aldo Moro in front of La Sapienza University and stop at 10:30 in Piazza dei Cinquecento at Termini Station, subsequently heading towards the Colosseum or the Circus Maximus based on the provisions for public order established by the prefecture.
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