Italian transport ministry hails “common sense” as major trade unions suspend eight-hour strike, however independent grassroots unions plan to go ahead with their 23-hour walkout. Italy’s national eight-hour rail strike on Thursday 11 June has been suspended after several of the country’s major trade unions called off their planned action following last-minute talks with the government. However, independent grassroots unions vowed to press on with their 23-hour walkout, with effect from 03.00 on Thursday.
Suspended strike
The eight-hour strike, which had been scheduled from 09.00 to 17.00 on Thursday, was originally called by numerous unions including Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uiltrasporti, Ugl Ferrovieri, Fast Confsal and Orsa Trasporti.
The unions called the strike in protest at the transport ministry’s plan to put the Intercity train service out to competitive tender, splitting it into three unequal lots rather than maintaining it as a single contract.
The unions argued this fragmentation threatened the jobs of around 3,000 railway workers currently employed by Trenitalia, part of the Ferrovie dello Stato group, and that the tender lacked binding social clauses to protect those workers’ continued employment.
