EXPLAINED: Why are there so many transport strikes in Italy?

Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy as most months of the year count at least two to three nationwide walkouts and several regional and local ones. But why is that?

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Travel to, from and across Italy was hit by multiple transport strikes in September 2024. 
Scattered airline and airport protests forced Italy’s flag carrier Ita Airways to cancel some 18 domestic flights on September 7th, also causing delays in check-in and baggage drop-off and collection services at airport hubs including Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa.
But this was only the first in a trio of back-to-back nationwide walkouts, as it was followed by a 23-hour rail strike on September 8th and an eight-hour public transport strike on September 9th. Another national public transport walkout was then staged on September 20th.
But why are transport staff strikes so frequent in Italy?

The answer lies in the nature of the Italian union landscape as, besides its three major national associations – CGIL, CISL and UIL – the country counts hundreds of smaller trade unions, often operating at a regional or even local level. 
And, while strike action is often coordinated in other EU countries, including France and Germany, most unions in Italy operate independently, planning their own demonstrations and carrying them out where and when they see fit. 
While this results in a large number of strikes being held over the course of a year in Italy, it also means that very few walkouts are disruptive enough to trigger a meaningful response from employers. 
In other words, only a few strikes end up achieving the intended result, which ultimately forces unions to plan further demonstrations down the line.
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On top of that, most public transport companies in Italy are partly state-owned, meaning that only some (usually around 30 percent) of their operating costs is covered by the sale of tickets or season passes, with the rest funded by the state.
As such, walkouts generally cause only limited losses to the employer, which means they have little financial incentive to grant workers’ requests. Once again, this forces unions to plan further strikes.
Finally, under Italian law, all strikes involving services to the public, including public transport, must be announced to the relevant government department (the transport ministry in this case) at least 10 days ahead of time. 
This generally gives employers enough time to make arrangements in order to minimise disruption during strikes. 
You can keep up with all the latest updates about transport strikes in Italy in The Local’s strike news section.

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Travel to, from and across Italy was hit by multiple transport strikes in September 2024. 
Scattered airline and airport protests forced Italy’s flag carrier Ita Airways to cancel some 18 domestic flights on September 7th, also causing delays in check-in and baggage drop-off and collection services at airport hubs including Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa.
But this was only the first in a trio of back-to-back nationwide walkouts, as it was followed by a 23-hour rail strike on September 8th and an eight-hour public transport strike on September 9th. Another national public transport walkout was then staged on September 20th.
But why are transport staff strikes so frequent in Italy?
The answer lies in the nature of the Italian union landscape as, besides its three major national associations – CGIL, CISL and UIL – the country counts hundreds of smaller trade unions, often operating at a regional or even local level. 
And, while strike action is often coordinated in other EU countries, including France and Germany, most unions in Italy operate independently, planning their own demonstrations and carrying them out where and when they see fit. 
While this results in a large number of strikes being held over the course of a year in Italy, it also means that very few walkouts are disruptive enough to trigger a meaningful response from employers. 
In other words, only a few strikes end up achieving the intended result, which ultimately forces unions to plan further demonstrations down the line.
On top of that, most public transport companies in Italy are partly state-owned, meaning that only some (usually around 30 percent) of their operating costs is covered by the sale of tickets or season passes, with the rest funded by the state.
As such, walkouts generally cause only limited losses to the employer, which means they have little financial incentive to grant workers’ requests. Once again, this forces unions to plan further strikes.
Finally, under Italian law, all strikes involving services to the public, including public transport, must be announced to the relevant government department (the transport ministry in this case) at least 10 days ahead of time. 
This generally gives employers enough time to make arrangements in order to minimise disruption during strikes. 
You can keep up with all the latest updates about transport strikes in Italy in The Local’s strike news section.