Travellers and commuters in Italy will likely face disruption next week, with a series of strikes planned by air traffic control staff and motorway system managers.
A 24-hour national strike of air traffic control staff on Tuesday 13 December has been organised by three unions, FILT-CGIL, FIT-CISL and Uiltrasporti. Italian air traffic control, ENAV, will ensure essential services are provided in compliance with current regulation.
On the same day, easyJet staff will also go on strike for 24 hours. The move follows similar industrial action undertaken in July, where cabin crew at a number of low-cost carriers walked off the job as part of an ongoing dispute over wages and working conditions.
Meanwhile, petrol stations and motorway service areas will be closed for 72 consecutive hours – from 10pm on Tuesday 13 December to 10pm on Friday 16 December – due to strike action organised by trade unions Faib, Fegica and Anisa, which represent motorway system managers.
According to local news reports, the strikes are in response to the newly-elected Meloni government’s proposed fiscal changes. Unions are reportedly unimpressed with proposed tax reforms and claim the government’s plan does not address wage and pension concerns in relation to the current cost-of-living crisis.