by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interview: Vera Buonomo Segreterio nazionale UIL (Unione Italiana del Lavoro); Massimo Marega Segretario Generale della CGIL di Trieste
In Trieste, this year’s International Workers’ Day march blended traditional labor demands with growing concern over global conflict and its local consequences.
The procession, which set off from the working-class district of San Giacomo, centered on calls for secure and dignified employment. But demonstrators also turned their attention outward, carrying a prominent banner opposing the transit of weapons through the city’s port — a sign of unease about Trieste’s role in broader geopolitical tensions.
Participants drew a direct line between war abroad and economic strain at home, pointing to rising prices and shrinking purchasing power. For many, the conflict is not an abstract issue but one that affects daily life, from energy costs to job stability.
The march reflected a wider shift in tone, as workers’ concerns increasingly straddle both local labor conditions and global instability — a convergence that shaped this year’s May Day message: work, peace and solidarity.
