More clash between government e sindacati for the transport strike of 24 hours proclaimed for Friday December 15 2023. The protest had already been called for the end of November but then, in response to the precept of Transport Minister Matteo Salvini - who had reduced the duration to 4 hours - the unions had decided to postpone it. A move that did not stop the minister, who intervened with a new precept. Salvini claims that the right to strike is sacrosanct, but it should not last 24 hours during the Christmas period "because there is the right to strike but there is also the right to work for 20 million Italians". Despite the ordinance, theBasic trade union union (USB) has announced that it will disobey the reduction imposed by the minister, confirming the strike national for the whole day, subject to compliance with the guarantee bands. The minister's response was prompt: "Whoever disobeys pays the consequences."
So the USB decided to protect workers from heavy sanctions. “USB – wrote the basic union – has chosen to disobey politically as a trade union organisation, taking on a very heavy sanction which, obviously, cannot involve individual workers but, we believe, that today a formal and political act is needed of disobedience to be able to begin to break this siege on our right to strike in Italy and to be able to begin to be freer again and without blackmail of fines tomorrow. There is no point in handing anyone's wallet to Salvini at the moment."
This is not the first time that Salvini has intervened to reduce the duration of a strike, sparking controversies and union protests. So much so that the unions have turned to the TAR to suspend the ordinance (even if it was rejected) and will ask for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, to understand if "the attack on the right to strike is the common will of all the government". In the meantime, let's see who is striking on Friday 15 December and where.
Friday 15 December 2023: who is striking?
Folding their arms are Usb Lavoro Privato, Al Cobas and Cub Trasporti.
Usb Private Work e Cub Transportation they called the strike in defense of the right to strike in essential public services, to improve entry wages, combat public spending on lower quality contracts and underpaid work, stop privatizations, guarantee safety at work and service, promote wages minimum and obtain a law on union representation, as well as a freeze on military spending.
At Cobas, the strike is directed against any limitation on the right to strike and the abolition of agreements on representation. They aim to overcome the monopoly built by trade unions and employers' associations, promote higher entry wages, combat contracts and subcontracts, support an investment and hiring plan in public utility sectors, guarantee safety and health protection in the workplace , block military spending and oppose large-scale speculative projects.
Rome, Milan and Naples: timetables and guarantee periods for the metro, buses and trams
Public transport is on a 4 hour strike today, from the 9 13. At 13pm the service will resume across the entire network but with the risk of snail bus in large cities, i.e. very low speed vehicles. A way to "override" the precept without incurring sanctions. “Threatening to go slowly to Rome? You probably wouldn't notice a big difference compared to the daily cruising speed,” joked Salvini. Here they are specific times for some cities:
- Milan: the vehicles stop from 9am to 13pm, with interruption of the M3.
- Rome: stop from 9am to 13pm, involving Atac and Roma Tpl.
- Napoli: metro line 1 is regular, with stops on the funiculars and reduction in surface service. Anm 24 hour strike, with regular service from 17pm to 00pm.
- Florence: the strike is reduced to 4 hours, from 9am to 13pm, with service resuming at 12pm.
- GenoVa: the service is guaranteed from 6am to 9am and from 17pm to 30pm.
- Bologna: for Tper traveling staff, the strike lasts 4 hours, from 9am to 13pm.
What happens to those who disobey?
During the strike on 15 December, a regular strike is permitted from 9am to 13pm, as long as the guaranteed time slots established by local agreements are respected. Failure to comply with the order issued by the authorities entails the risk of a risk for the USB administrative sanction pursuant to article 9 of Law 146 / 90. This fine can vary from 2.500 to 50.000 euros per day, established by the competent ministry.
While the workers who violate the ordinance are liable to fines individual, which fluctuate between 500 and 1.000 euros per day for each employee.
Updated Friday, December 15 at 11:21am
