ITALY: 24-HOURS STRIKE OF STATE EMPLOYEES CRIPPLE PUBLIC SERVICES AS GOVERNMENT RESIGNS.

Record ID: 341922

  • Title: ITALY: 24-HOURS STRIKE OF STATE EMPLOYEES CRIPPLE PUBLIC SERVICES AS GOVERNMENT RESIGNS.
  • Date: 19th November 1968
  • Summary: STRIKERS MARCH THROUGH STREETS; MAN CARRYING BANNER; (NATSOF) STRIKERS IN STATION WITH TRUCK OF UNLOADED NEWSPAPERS; POST OFFICE VEHICLES OUTSIDE MAIN POST OFFICE; PEOPLE BOARDING COACH; SOLDIER CHECKING COACH OUT OF BUS STATION; DESERTED RAILWAY PLATFORM. Initials JH/VS/BHH/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th December 1968 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVAAJHBDHB8QJCF73OTQKK6QM9AG
  • Story Text: DURING A 24-HOUR STRIKE BY ONE MILLION ITALIAN STATE EMPLOYEES, THE CARETAKER CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER GIOVANNI LEONE RESIGNED TODAY (TUESDAY) AFTER FIVE MONTHS IN POWER WITHOUT A PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY. THE COUNTRY NOW FACES THE TASK OF FINDING THE 29TH GOVERNMENT SINCE THE WAR. THE STRIKE HAS PARALYSED ITALY'S TELEPHONE, POSTAL AND RAILWAY SERVICES.

    IN ROME, MANY OF THE STRIKING WORKERS MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS, CARRYING BANNERS AND BLOWING WHISTLES.

    THE STRIKE, WHICH BEGAN FOR THE RAILWAYMEN ON MONDAY EVENING AND FOR THE OTHER STATE WORKERS AT MIDNIGHT, WAS CALLED TO PRESS DEMANDS FOR HIGHER WAGES AND BETTER MEDICAL INSURANCE.

    WITH THE RAILWAYMEN OUT, ALMOST ALL RAIL TRANSPORT WAS HALTED AND ROME'S CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION WAS DESERTED.

    THE ITALIAN STATE RAILWAYS ARRANGED FOR SPECIAL BUS SERVICES MANNED BY SOLDIERS TO LINK BIGGER TOWNS. ARMY LORRIES ALSO OPERATED AN EMERGENCY LONG-DISTANCE TRANSPORT SERVICE FROM A MAKESHIFT TERMINAL IN THE STATION SQUARE.

    PARCELS AND LETTERS FILED UP IN SORTING OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE DAY BECAUSE OF THE POSTAL WORKERS' STOPPAGE AND NO MAIL WAS DELIVERED.

    TELEPHONE SERVICES WERE ALSO BADLY HIT. A WALK-OUT BY EXCHANGE OPERATORS OUT TELEPHONE LINKS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND BLOCKED THE AUTOMATIC DIALLING SYSTEM KEEPING MANY LINES ALMOST PERMANENTLY ENGAGED.

    MILLIONS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN STAYED AT HOME AS TEACHERS IN STATE SCHOOLS ALSO JOINED THE STRIKE.

    THE ITALIAN RAILWAYMEN ENDED THEIR STRIKE TONIGHT. THE COMMUNIST TRADE UNION FEDERATION, C.G.I.L. SAID THE STRIKE HAS 96 PER CENT SUCCESSFUL IN THE RAILWAYS, 94 PER CENT IN THE POSTAL AND TELEPHONE SERVICES AND 85 PER CENT IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND FIRMS. THE NATIONWIDE STRIKE WAS ITALY'S SECOND IN FIVE DAYS.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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