by InTrieste
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister, Matteo Salvini, has moved to limit the scope of a planned nationwide transport strike on Friday, December 13, citing concerns over public disruption during the busy pre-Christmas season. The USB transport union, however, has pledged to proceed with its original 24-hour plan.
The strike is set to impact trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ferries, with education and healthcare services also affected. Airlines are exempt. Salvini’s injunction, issued Tuesday, restricts the strike’s duration to four hours, a strategy he has employed in previous disputes.
In a social media post, Salvini emphasized the need to balance the right to strike with the rights of citizens, particularly during a critical period for travel and commerce.
Union leaders have contested the order, calling the action legitimate and compliant with European laws. USB Trasporti Secretary Francesco Staccioli reaffirmed the union’s intention to proceed with the full 24-hour strike.
Expected Disruptions
The strike timetable, as of Wednesday, includes potential cancellations and delays across the transport network. Trenitalia, the national railway operator, anticipates disruptions from 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, December 13. Local transport services, including buses and trams in cities across the country, will also be affected during specified hours, with minimum services guaranteed by law during peak times.
In Trieste, disruptions are expected to affect public transport services throughout the day, with reduced availability of buses and trams. The local transport authority has indicated that essential services will be maintained during morning and evening rush hours but warned of possible delays and cancellations outside these periods.
Broader Context
Salvini’s repeated use of injunctions to limit strikes has heightened tensions with Italian trade unions, which argue that such measures undermine workers’ rights. The strike follows a series of recent industrial actions, including a nationwide train strike in response to a violent attack on a conductor.
