National Transport Strike: Disruptions Across Italy

The early hours of the day begin with a strong impact: at 5:30 a.m. the 24-hour national strike involving buses, metro and trams throughout Italy began. The mobilization, proclaimed by unions such as Filt Cgil, Fit Cisl, Uiltrasporti, Faisa Cisal and Ugl Fna, provides for a reduced use of traveling personnel, limited to 30% in the guaranteed bands.

Strike Details

The warranty bands vary depending on the city:

• Milan: metro and some surface lines active from 5.30 to 8.45 and from 15.00 to 18.00.
• Rome: the A and B metro lines and some surface lines are guaranteed until 8:30 am and from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
• Naples: buses operate only from 6:30 to 9:30 and from 17:00 to 20:00. In many cities, service is severely compromised. In Rome, all subway lines are stopped and surface transport is severely reduced. Milan has three subway lines completely closed. In Naples, subway line 1 has also suspended service.

According to the general secretary of Filt Cgil, Stefano Malorgio, participation in the strike reached peaks of 90%, despite the companies' objections regarding the legitimacy of the movement.

Causes of Discontent

The unions called the strike for several crucial reasons:

• Renewal of the expired national contract.
• Lack of resources in the sector.
• Need for effective programming policies.
• Transport sector reform.
• Health and safety at work. Negotiations for the renewal of the national collective agreement have been interrupted due to the dilatory attitude of the employer counterparts. Furthermore, it is emphasized that in the last twenty years the contract renewal has occurred only three times instead of six, worsening the crisis in local public transport.

A Look to the Future

With the adhesion to the strike that appears “almost total” in several regions such as Umbria and with evident inconveniences in the big cities, the unions are asking for a concrete commitment from the institutions. The need for a discussion table between the competent ministries becomes increasingly urgent to guarantee a sustainable future for local public transport and resolve the problems related to urban mobility in Italy.