ROME - Italy is facing a "Black Monday": a nationwide general strike called by the grassroots unions (including USB, Cub and Sgb) threatens to severely disrupt the daily lives of millions of citizens on September 22. Under the slogan "We are blocking everything with Palestine at its heart", all public and private sectors are to go on strike for 24 hours, which is likely to lead to a partial standstill in the transport and education sectors in particular.
From trains to schools: a country in the grip of protests
The announced work stoppages are hitting the country at its lifelines. In rail transport, employees of the FS Group (Trenitalia), Italo and Trenord have been called out on strike, which may lead to numerous cancellations and delays on Frecce, Intercity and regional trains from midnight to 11 pm. A minimum service will only be guaranteed in the time windows from 6 am to 9 am and from 6 pm to 9 pm. Local public transport in major cities such as Rome and Milan will also be massively affected, as will cabs, ports and highways, where the strike will begin on Sunday evening in some cases. Air traffic is excluded from the strike. In addition to transportation, the protest is also hitting the education system hard: teaching staff and employees in schools and universities have been called to strike, which will lead to the cancellation of classes throughout the country. Restrictions are also expected in the health service and the fire department (from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Political motives and massive security precautions
The unions justify their call with the protest "against the genocide in Palestine", the supply of weapons to Israel and the "war economy". The strike will be accompanied by demonstrations in at least 75 cities, including large protest marches in Rome, Milan and Naples, which are expected to attract thousands of participants. The security authorities are on heightened alert. Extensive security measures have been ordered to prevent riots, particularly to protect so-called sensitive Israeli sites. This means that Monday will be a test of patience for commuters, schoolchildren and families across the country.
