- Title: ITALY-STRIKE/DEMO Italians demonstrate against labour reforms
- Date: 12th December 2014
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 12, 2014) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS RUNNING ON CENTRAL ROMAN STREET DEMONSTRATORS RUNNING, ARRIVING AT SQUARE DEMONSTRATOR DRUMMING AND MARCHING DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING WITH FLAGS AND BANNERS DEMONSTRATOR CHANTING SLOGANS INTO MEGAPHONE DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING SLOGANS AND RUNNING DEMONSTRATORS JUMPING UP AND DOWN AND CHANTING SLOGANS FLAGS, BANNERS AND BALLOONS CEMENT MIXER TRUCK MOVING ALONG MARCH (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) DEMONSTRATOR, FRANCO CAPUANO, SAYING: "We want jobs and you can't create jobs by cutting the rights of the workers. We want implementation of article 3 which guarantees equal rights for everyone. We want the article 18, because jobs are not created if that article is revoked. We want to reclaim our rights, we want democracy, which they are stealing, together with the dignity of the Italian people and the workers." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) DEMONSTRATOR ANNA PANNOTTA SAYING: "We are taking part in this general strike against the government because there are no jobs in the publishing sector which we represent. In the last four years fifty percent of the positions in the sector have been lost and unfortunately these fifty percent often end up doing 'black work' and therefore we are asking for legality and jobs." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) DEMONSTRATOR PAOLO CESARINI SAYING: "I think it's time to get out the truncheons because all we have is useless people who keep making promises but in the end do nothing. It's all chatter and talk but we see no action." BANNER WITH PHOTO OF ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER MATTEO RENZI AND TEXT READING IN ITALIAN "THE KING IS ALREADY NAKED" VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE LINED UP, LOOKING ON DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING WITH FLAGS AND BANNERS FEET OF DEMONSTRATORS DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING
- Embargoed: 27th December 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA8XG3849OBPTSGJBJUX4MEG32A
- Story Text: Demonstrators on Friday (December 12) marched in Rome to protest against Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's plans to overhaul labour laws and make it easier for firms to lay off workers.
Renzi, facing resistance from both unions and some in his own centre-left Democratic Party, has pledged to push on with reforms to Italy's limping economy, which is heading for a third straight year of contraction.
The main target of Friday's demonstrations was the 39 year-old premier's "Jobs Act", aimed at loosening restrictions on firing employees when companies face a business downturn and weakens a treasured right to protest unlawful dismissal.
With unemployment at record levels and youth jobless rates topping 40 percent, unions say the burden of the reforms and spending cuts is being placed unfairly on workers and will do nothing to revive growth.
"We want jobs and you can't create jobs by cutting the rights of the workers. We want implementation of article 3 which guarantees equal rights for everyone. We want the article 18, because jobs are not created if that article is revoked. We want to reclaim our rights, we want democracy, which they are stealing, together with the dignity of the Italian people and the workers," said demonstrator Franco Capuano.
"We are taking part in this general strike against the government because there are no jobs in the publishing sector which we represent. In the last four years fifty percent of the positions in the sector have been lost and unfortunately these fifty percent often end up doing "black work" and therefore we are asking for legality and jobs," demonstrator Anna Pannotta said.
"I think it's time to get out the truncheons because all we have is useless people who keep making promises but in the end do nothing. It's all chatter and talk but we see no action," said Paolo Cesarini.
With pressure growing on Italy to meet European Union deficit and debt targets, Renzi's progress is being monitored by EU partners. Both the European Commission and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have pushed for faster action from Rome.
As well as a nationwide strike, more than 50 rallies were planned across the country on Friday.
Speaking in Turkey late on Thursday, Renzi said he respected the unions' right to strike, but he added that the unions would not throw his reform drive off course.
The Jobs Act is part of a package of promised measures to revive the euro zone's most sluggish economy, whose citizens had less spending power on average in 2013 than they had at the start of the century. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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