General strikes in Italy on 28 November and 14 December.
Italy faces two national general strikes within two weeks of each other, both in protest over the 2026 budget announced by the right-wing government of premier Giorgia Meloni.
A general strike affecting the public and private sectors on Friday 28 November has been called by the USB and CUB trade unions in protest over the 2026 budget bill and to demand greater investment in the public sector, contract renewal and wage increases.
Friday’s strike will affect public transport, schools, healthcare, air travel, motorways and public administration.
The USB has called on workers to “block everything” – as they did during the recent mass rallies for Gaza – and join the protest against the “war budget”.
In a statement, the USB called on the government to lower the retirement age to 62, to guarantee that all national contracts have “at least €2,000” as a minimum starting wage, and to invest in social housing and healthcare instead of “buying and manufacturing new weapons”.
Rail services
The strike is set to involve railway workers from 21.00 on Thursday 27 November until the same time the next day, affecting staff employed by Trenitalia, Gruppo FS, Trenitalia Tper (in the Emilia-Romagna region) and Trenord, as well as private rail operator Italo which has published a list of guaranteed services.
Trenitalia also lists the long-distance rail services guaranteed during the strike, saying on its website that essential regional services will be guaranteed from 06.00 to 09.00 and from 18.00 to 21.00.
Rome local transport
Rome’s buses and subways will be affected by the strike, however services will be guaranteed up until 08.30 and from 17.00 to 20.00, according to the city website.
Air travel
The strike will affect the air sector, involving flight crews, baggage handlers and airport ground staff, along with various airport services. As a result, cancellations and delays are expected at several Italian airports.
The Italian civil aviation authority ENAC reminds air travellers that, during strikes, flights are guaranteed from 07.00 t0 10.00 and from 18.00 to 19.00. Its website contains a list of guaranteed flights on Friday.
Healthcare and education
The general strike is also set to affect healthcare workers, from the first shift on Thursday night until the last shift the next day, however all urgent and emergency medical services will be guaranteed.
The Unicobas union has called a strike for all teaching and administrative staff in schools, research centres and universities. Those who decide to join will be on strike for the entire day.
The strike is also set to affect taxis and ferry services on Friday, while for motorway workers, the strike will be from 22.00 on Thursday until the same time the next night.
The unions are planning protests in cities across Italy on Saturday 29 November, with a demonstration set to take place in Rome.
General strike on 12 December
Exactly wo weeks after the strike on the 28 November, Italy’s largest trade union, CGIL, has scheduled a national general strike on Friday 12 December, also in protest over the government’s 2026 budget bill.
CGIL general secretary Maurizio Landini slammed the budget as “unfair and mistaken”, saying: “The fundamental emergency right now is wages: we need to increase wages, and this budget doesn’t do that.”
In a statement, CGIL issued a long list of reasons for the strike, including demands for the renewal of all national labour contracts; greater investments in healthcare, education, local authorities, long-term care, and housing rights; and measures to tackle job insecurity and workplace safety.
The 21-hour strike is set to affect both the public and private sectors, from just after midnight on Thursday 11 December until 21.00 on Friday 12 December, according to the transport ministry website.
Immediately after the strike was announced earlier this month, Meloni took aim at Landini and CGIL, asking sarcastically on social media: “On which day of the week will 12 December fall?”.
Deputy premier Matteo Salvini struck a similar tone, writing on social media: “We invite Landini, for once, to give up the long weekend and organise the strike on another day of the week”.
Landini responded to the two political leaders by saying they “don’t know what they’re talking about” and that they “should be respectful” towards workers.
“Because when someone goes on strike, they’re giving up their salary; it’s not free”, Landini said, reminding Meloni and Salvini that their salaries are funded by the taxes paid by workers.
We update our news of public transport strikes in Italy regularly. For official information see the transport ministry website. Photo credit: DELBO ANDREA / Shutterstock.com.
