Trade Union: Transport Workers, Civil Servants Striking Across Italy

ROME (Sputnik) - A nationwide strike of transport workers and civil servants, including medical and school workers, is taking place in Italy on Friday at the initiative of the Confederation of Basic Committees (Cobas) and a number of other trade unions.

According to Cobas spokesman Piero Bernocchi, people are protesting against "a reactionary attack" by the Italian government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on civil and democratic rights, its policy "aimed at criminalization of migrants and escalation of social conflicts."

The trade unions taking part in the strike are also demanding that the authorities renew labor contracts with public servants, increase their salaries and introduce automatic salary indexing amid growing inflation and the rising cost of living. Other demands include introducing a minimum wage, reducing prices on fuel and basic goods and canceling energy tariffs increases.

Due to the strike, disruptions in the work of public transit systems are expected across Italy until Friday evening, with protests taking place in the country's major cities, including in Rome, Milan, Naples and Genoa.

Inflation in Italy was 11.8% year-on-year in November, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics, which is one its highest figures in decades.