Thousands of Italians joined a Friday strike called by the country’s main unions to protest against the government led by Giorgia Meloni. Labor organizations have long been a key voice of opposition in Italy, though the turnout this time around appeared smaller than in recent years.
The central issue behind the walkout was opposition to the latest budget measures proposed by the government. After weeks of debate, the union leaders could not align all their members on a single course of action. In the transportation sector, with the airline industry excluded, the stoppage lasted four hours. In contrast, workers in health, education, and related services staged longer actions, with eight-hour stoppages in some cases.
The strike did not unfold evenly across the country. It did not take place in several major hubs, including Naples and Milan, and, in principle, was to occur on a different day in some locales. Internal disagreements within unions and concerns raised by the Guarantees Commission prompted the Italian Parliament to decline recognizing the action as a general strike, noting that more than a dozen unions opted not to participate.
Tensions between the unions and the government have been growing in the days leading up to the protest. A union leader remarked that millions of Italians were able to move freely and exercise their right to strike, while Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini defended the position that a minority should not be allowed to disrupt the larger economy and workers’ rights. [Citation: Italian press reports on union-government dynamics.]
Dance of percentages
Salvini welcomed what he described as a low turnout for the strike, claiming it did not exceed five percent according to data from his ministry. Meloni, for her part, rejected the notion that the strike had a marginal following. Unions, however, offered a contrasting picture, asserting that roughly seven in ten workers supported or participated in the action, depending on the method of counting used. [Citation: Union statements and government briefings about turnout.]
In Rome and other cities, especially in the central region, public demonstrations were organized. In the capital, participants gathered at Ostiense Station and marched toward the Ministry of Education in the Trastevere district, signaling broad concern over education funding and public service staffing. Supporters described these events as a clear message that public services remain a priority for workers and communities alike. [Citation: Coverage of demonstrations and march routes.]
Leaders from major unions stressed the significance of the day’s actions. At the main rally, they claimed substantial turnout and high engagement from public-sector workers, reiterating that the exercise of collective bargaining rights is essential for safeguarding public services in a changing economic landscape. The unions highlighted the need for sustained dialogue with policymakers to address wage stagnation, inflation, and the pressures facing hospitals, schools, and transportation networks. [Citation: Union statements from the day’s events.]