Shops and supermarkets open or not on May XNUMXst? The battle continues

According to Federdistribuzione, 49% of Italian shops will be open, but the unions announce strikes - Confesercenti: "Deregulation has only succeeded in shifting market shares towards large-scale distribution" - Businesses: "Closing it would be enormous damage for the country" . Here's where to find open supermarkets

Question: Are the shops open on May Day? Answer: some yes, others remain closed by choice, still others have to deal with strikes. After the controversy over Easter, Easter Monday and 25 April, Labor Day also ignites the clash between trade unions, trade associations and companies.

According to Federdistribuzione - which represents companies such as Esselunga and Carrefour - 49% of Italian stores will be open and 46% of the openings will involve food brands. In particular, Ikea, Esselunga e Coop they opted for the shutters down, while Carrefour will keep some outlets open. Conad will leave the field free for individual associated entrepreneurs, while Decathlon it will defer to the decisions of the directors of the individual points of sale. Auchan on the other hand, it will keep 8 out of 48 hypermarkets open in areas with the greatest tourist flow.

THE TRADE UNIONS AND THE FIRST OF MAY STRIKES

Meanwhile, the political clash continues. The secretary of the CGIL, Susanna Camusso, believes that it is "profoundly wrong to have shops open on the three civil holidays of our country, which are April 25, May 2 and June XNUMX".

The unions have called regional strikes in Lazio, Puglia and Sicily, while territorial mobilizations are planned in Lombardy. Simple appeals to abstain from work have been launched in Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Umbria and Liguria (in the latter region only Filcams CGIL has chosen the path of strike).

COLDIRECTS AND CONFESERCENTS

Confesercenti is also against openings on holidays: the association cites a SWG survey which shows that 60% of Italians would be in favor of closing shops on holidays and that just 20% would intend to shop on May XNUMXst.

The position of Coldiretti is different, recalling how "over 200 breeders, shepherds and farmers" are forced to stay at work on May XNUMXst "so as not to leave their animals alone".

CONFIMPRESE AND FIPE-CONFCOMMERCIO

On the other side of the fence is Confimprese: “The shops must stay open when citizens are celebrating and filling the streets – claims the president of the association, Mario Resca – Closing them would be enormous damage, but above all a gift to Amazon ”.

Doors also open for those who want to eat outside the home: the Italian federation of public establishments (Fipe, which adheres to Confcommercio) states that 644 employees of bars, restaurants and bathing establishments will be at work on May 333st, to which another XNUMX will be added independent workers.

"The openings of catering companies on public holidays are essential in a country like Italy with a strong tourist vocation - says Lino Enrico Stoppani, president of Fipe - We cannot interrupt services in favor of tourists, not even on days of strong trade union significance like May Day".

THE MONTI LAW

At the origin of the clash is the Monti law of 2012, which liberalized opening hours allowing the shutters to be kept up 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

The unions are asking for it to be changed to defend the social value of the holiday and above all because – they argue – it has so far not produced any improvement in terms of employment or consumption. Conversely, deregulation has worsened working conditions for employees.

Confesercenti once again follows the same line: “From 2012 to today – reads a note – the increase in competition has led to the closure of at least 90 small shops. Deregulation has only succeeded in shifting market shares towards large-scale distribution”.