ROME (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2022) Italian public transport workers are holding a nationwide four-hour strike on Friday in response to a call by the country's largest industry trade unions, Italian media reported on Friday.
The main demand of the transport workers is the conclusion of a new collective labor agreement, since the previous agreement between the unions and employers expired on December 31, 2017, Italian broadcaster RaiNews24 reported.
"Trade union organizations are well aware of the emergency situation that has unfolded in the country (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), but the truth is that those who worked - professionally and with risk to their personal safety - to ensure the right of citizens to move, should receive a new employment contract," the industry trade unions said in a statement.
The strike will affect the operation of all types of urban public transport, including buses, trams, subway and commuter trains.
The strike started in Rome, with the transport workers ceasing operations at 08:30 a. m. local time (07:30 GMT). Within 15 minutes, their co-workers from Milan took up the slack. At 9 a. m. local time, public transport stopped running in Naples, and an hour later in Venice. In Bologna, the strike will begin at noon, and in Florence and Turin, transport workers will finish working at 06:00 p. m. local time.
In November 2021, Italian taxi drivers announced a general strike in protest against the so-called Competition Bill which sought to reorganize waste management, public transportation, energy and telecommunications.
