ITALY-STRIKE Italians say they support public transport strike despite disruptions

Record ID: 341871

  • Title: ITALY-STRIKE Italians say they support public transport strike despite disruptions
  • Date: 14th November 2014
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (NOVEMBER 14, 2014) (REUTERS) BUSES IN FRONT OF ROME'S CENTRAL TERMINI STATION PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS BUSES PEOPLE AT BUS STOPS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN RESIDENT, GIANCARLO ANTONINI, SAYING: ''I'm surely in favour of workers' protests. The government is not doing what it ought to, therefore it is fair that workers mobilise and I think this strike is right. It will cause problems, but I think it is a fair form of protest and, at the moment, a needed one.'' (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN RESIDENT, LORIS MERIGO, SAYING: ''I come from a much smaller town than this and even there, when there is a transport strike, it sparks major chaos, everything stops.'' (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN RESIDENT, SILVIA BUSSOLETTI, SAYING: ''They are doing the right think to rebel by going on strike. We must make ourselves heard. Yes, it will affect me and cause some disruptions because I might miss a bus and be a bit late for work. But it isn't a major drama.'' VARIOUS OF CROWD OF PEOPLE GETTING ON A BUS BUS WITH DESTINATION 'DEPOT' PEOPLE AT BUS STOP ''DEPOT' WRITTEN ON BUS PEOPLE WAITING AT BUS STOP PEOPLE RUNNING TO CATCH BUS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING BUS WITH 'DEPOT' WRITTEN ON IT VIEW OF DESERTED BUS STOP
  • Embargoed: 29th November 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAELL90SIAQWNZ6MJKEKYHHRJEU
  • Story Text: Italians were largely supportive of public transport workers who went on strike in Italy's main cities on Friday (November 14) to protest against labour reforms planned by the government.
    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi won backing in late September for plans to change employee protection rules that critics say deter companies from hiring new staff, contributing to an ongoing economic weakness.
    Buses, trams, metro and trains were due to halt in Rome, Milan and Turin, potentially causing disruptions during rush hour.
    In the Italian capital of Rome, most people rushing to catch the last buses said they supported the workers on strike.
    "The government is not doing what it ought to. It is fair that workers mobilise and I think this strike is right. It will cause problems, but I think it is a fair form of protest and, at the moment, a needed one," said Italian resident Giancarlo Antonini.
    Another man said the strike would inevitably cause major disruptions in the capital and across the country.
    "I come from a much smaller town than this and even there, when there is a transport strike, it sparks major chaos, everything stops," said Italian resident Loris Merigo.
    Protests are also fuelled by wider discontent about austerity policies, including heavy public spending cuts, adopted by the current and previous Italian governments to meet European Union budget rules.
    European policymakers have applauded Renzi's proposals, which also aim to improve a labour market divided between young workers with limited employment rights and older employees whose jobs are rigidly protected.
    Despite being affected by the strike after missing a bus to work, another Italian said she supported public transport workers on strike.
    "'They are doing the right think to rebel by going on strike. We must make ourselves heard. Yes, it will affect me and cause some disruptions because I might miss a bus and be a bit late for work. But it isn't a major drama,'" said Silvia Bussoletti.
    Unions and left-wing members of Renzi's Democratic Party say the proposals undermine workers' rights and do not address the underlying causes of stagnation in an economy where output has contracted some nine percent since the start of the financial crisis in 2007.
    Italy's overall employment rate is one of the lowest in the euro zone, at 55.7 percent in August, and joblessness among young people is running at a record-high 44.2 percent.
    The country's biggest labour union, CGIL, has compared Renzi to Margaret Thatcher, the former British prime minister, said to have weaken trade unions during the 1980s.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register