Today, Friday 13 December, Italy is shaken by the general strike called by the Unione Sindacale di Base (Usb), an initiative that involves a wide range of public and private sectors. From transport, which includes local and national public transport, to healthcare, from schools to public employment, thousands of workers have taken to the streets to protest against the difficult economic and working conditions they are facing. The event, which is taking place in adverse weather conditions, with rain in many cities, further complicates the situation, with inconvenience for citizens who are forced to deal with the difficulty of moving around due to the stoppage of public transport. Trenitalia, Italo and Trenord trains are at risk of cancellations and delays, while in the main Italian cities even local public transport is not guaranteed. Initially scheduled to last 24 hours, the general strike was reduced to just 4 hours by an order from the Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, which limited the impact of the strike in the transport sector. Despite this, the protest continues to demonstrate strong opposition to the government's economic and social policies, with particular attention to the conditions of workers and the weakest sections of the population.
The reasons for the protest: wages and living conditions
The reasons behind this strike are multiple and reflect a growing dissatisfaction with the economic policies adopted in recent years. In the foreground is the issue of contract renewals, with the USB union denouncing a clear under-compensation compared to inflation. Wages, in fact, are well below the inflation threshold, creating a strong erosion of purchasing power that is penalizing millions of Italians.
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