Italian Strike Shakes Up Country

Posted on Jun 25, 2010

AP / Gregorio Borgia

A demonstrator for the CGIL labor union federation blows a vuvuzela in Rome on Friday during a protest against the government’s austerity measures.

Italy’s largest union has launched a nationwide strike, upending public transport and government services in protest over the government’s recent austerity measures.

The union, CGIL, is a 6-million-member-strong organization that is putting pressure on the government to revise the $30 billion list of cuts to the government budget for 2011 and 2012.

Al-Jazeera English:

Italy’s largest union has staged a nationwide strike, disrupting public transport and government services in a protest over the government’s austerity measures.

Protesters also took to the streets on Friday in Rome, the capital, and other major Italian cities including Naples and Milan.

The six-million-member strong CGIL union, which called the action, is hoping to put pressure on the government to rewrite a $30bn package of cuts for 2011 and 2012.

“No one denies that we need to make cuts, but they must be cuts which are fair and look to the future, rather than just slashing spending,” Susanna Camusso, deputy leader of the CGIL said.

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