Strike chaos for Friday, Salvini: “Yes to the stop from 9am to 1pm”. But the unions: “Buses, metro and local trains stopped for 24 hours”

ROME. The precept decided by the Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini will cut the hours of the national strike in local public transport proclaimed by the USB from 24 to 4, from 9 to 13, but not the strikes (always lasting 24 hours) called locally, in Naples and in Umbria region, which also remain confirmed for December 15th. Minister Salvini has in fact asked Cub Trasporti, Cobas, Sgb, Adl Cobas, Al Cobas, Usb Lavoro Privato to reduce the hours of the agitation proclaimed for Friday 15 December throughout Italy. An ordinance which the basic union has, however, announced that it intends to disobey and is ready to pay, in order to “politically denounce” the government’s decision, the sanctions provided for by law 146. The meeting with the Minister of Transport, Tuesday evening, “it ended in nothing”, declare the USB. Translated: «All day strike confirmed». The right to strike, the basic unions write, “is a right guaranteed by our Constitution” and Usb Lavoro Privato has communicated directly to Salvini that “it will request the relevant TAR to suspend the order but, in any case, it will disobey to the reduction imposed by the minister, confirming the 24-hour national strike on December 15th.

However, the transgression will not be followed up among the workers who would find themselves paying very heavy sums and who were therefore invited by the union – despite the protest – to respect the government’s instructions.

Salvini’s dicktat
This is a new precept after that of November 27th which had pushed the unions to move the protest to next Friday. “Nine days before Christmas, blocking the country for 24 hours throughout Italy means chaos, unlike COP 28. 20 million Italians who use public transport cannot be left stranded”, the transport minister reiterated today Radio 24, motivating the decision to reduce the stop on local public transport proclaimed for Friday 15 December by the grassroots unions to 4 hours. «Among my rights and duties – he added – is that of guaranteeing the right to strike, but limited to 4 hours. Whoever disobeys pays the consequences foreseen by the legislation”, referring to the statements of the USB union.

The effects of disobedience for USB
For failure to comply with the authorities’ order, article 9 of law 146/90 provides for an administrative sanction for trade union organizations from 2,500 to 50,000 euros per day which is decided by the Ministry.

What happens to workers
On 15 December it will be possible to strike regularly from 9am to 1pm, subject to compliance with the guaranteed time slots established by local agreements. For workers who disobey the ordinance there is a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 euros per day for each individual employee.

Appeal to the TAR
the basic union is currently filing an urgent appeal with the TAR to ask for the suspension of the ordinance, which, however, is not guaranteed to happen in the short timeframe necessary, before December 15th. But the match is only postponed. If the decision does not arrive before December 15th, the appeal will follow the ordinary route.