November 28, 2025, 5:00 p.mNovember 28, 2025, 5:00 p.m
While the strike was intended to address the Meloni government’s budget policy, pro-Palestine marches could not be missed.Image: www.imago-images.de
In Italy on Friday, a large-scale strike caused significant disruption. The walkout affected many sectors, including public transport, education and healthcare, and media.
The strike was called by the left-wing trade union Cobas, which, among other things, criticized the budget and tax policies of the right-wing government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The transport strike affected both rail transport and flights.
At least 27 flights were canceled at Milan’s Malpensa airport and at least 17 at Bologna. Other airports affected were Milan Linate, Naples and Venice. Italian airline ITA Airways said 26 domestic flights were canceled due to the strikes.
Local transport in Rome disrupted
Rail traffic was also affected: there were disruptions in the main stations of Rome, Turin, Milan and Genoa. Protests prevented trains from stopping at Milan’s smaller Lambrate station. Urban transport was disrupted in Rome and several other cities. Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Turin, many with Palestinian flags.
In Venice, activists blocked access to the offices of the Italian defense company Leonardo before police broke them up with water cannons.
Italian journalists will also go on strike on Friday. They complain that the collective agreement has expired ten years ago, as well as job cuts and low investments in the media sector, despite millions in state subsidies.
Left-wing union criticizes Meloni’s budget
The Cobas union is calling for greater investment in education, healthcare and public transport, a significant reduction in military spending and the fight against insecure employment in the public sector.
The union is also demanding wage increases to compensate for income losses in recent years, as well as an adjustment of pensions to inflation. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in office since 2022, described the budget as “serious, balanced and responsible”.
She points to tax cuts that she believes are intended to support the weak Italian economy. Cobas also speaks out against planned privatizations of state-owned companies.
More strikes planned
The major unions are not taking part in the strike. The strongest Italian trade union federation, CGIL, with five million members, is planning its own work stoppage on December 12th.
The USB union has announced another nationwide day of protest for Saturday to demonstrate against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s so-called “war budget”. A large demonstration is planned in Rome. (sda/apa)