The post-communist trade union CGIL has organized a general strike of industry and transport workers in Italy on Dec. 12. The other two major trade unions, CISL and UIL, did not join the strike. According to CGIL, a total half-million workers took to the streets in several cities. As usual, the police estimated half that figure.
Although the strike demands are a legitimate response to the economic crisis, exemplified by the fact that between 2004 and 2024, whereas average wages grew 22% in Europe, they dropped 4% in real terms, it is difficult to deny that there is an anti-government directionality to the strike, as the CGIL had kept quiet under previous liberal governments.
The demands of the strike are: “To increase wages and pensions; To stop the rise in the retirement age; To say no to rearmament and invest in health and education; To combat precariousness; For real industrial and service sector policies; For fair and progressive tax reform.”
In order to finance their demands, the CGIL proposes to “stop the reckless arms race, which aims to convert the Italian and European economy into a war economy, draining an enormous amount of resources away from the country’s true economic and social priorities.” Good intentions, but that would not be enough. Therefore, they propose to take money from the “rich.”
