Italy travel warning. A general strike will paralyze transport in the Peninsula – Event of the Day

The Foreign Office announces that Italy will face a general strike for Friday 26 May 2023, which may extend for the following days.

For this reason, Romanian citizens are warned to take safety measures in order not to get stuck in certain places, without having the possibility to reach the desired destination. If there are such cases, those concerned are advised to call consular numbers and request diplomatic support.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) has issued a travel warning for Italy, where a general strike is announced on Friday that will also affect public transport. According to the MAE, a general strike will take place in the Italian Republic on May 26, which will also affect public transport, with the exception of air transport. Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone numbers of the Consulate General of Romania in Rome: +39 06 835 233 44; +39 06 835 233 52; +39 06 835 233 58; +39 06 835 233 56; +39 06 835 233 69; +39 06 835 233 71; +39 06 835 233 74, the calls being forwarded to the Contact and Support Center of Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and taken over by Call Center operators on a permanent basis”, announces the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

General strikes throughout Italy

Transport strikes are not at all uncommon in Italy, and to some extent the very nature of the country’s trade union landscape contributes to their frequency. But strike action has been extremely intense in recent months, with airline, rail and public transport passengers repeatedly affected by nationwide demonstrations.

This trend now looks set to continue in the coming weeks, as two more major nationwide demonstrations loom on the horizon: a public transport general strike on Friday 26 May and a 24-hour strike by airport staff on 4 June , which was postponed from May 19.

Public transport staff across the country will take part in a 24-hour strike on Friday 26 May. The strike was called earlier this month by the USB (Unione Sindacati di Base) – one of Italy’s main trade unions – to protest poor work contracts and low wages.

The strike will affect all forms of public transport – from surface services (buses, trolleybuses and trams) to metro lines and ferries – as well as taxi services.

Rail services will also be affected, although as currently indicated by Italy’s Transport Ministry, the strike should only last for eight hours – from 9am to 5pm – in their case.

Public transport will be on strike

All public transport services, from buses to tube lines and ferries, are expected to be affected by delays or cancellations on Friday 26 May.

Airline and airport staff will not take part in the demonstration.

While no details are currently available on how much disruption people will experience, significant delays or cancellations to all services involved are expected during the strike.

The impact is also expected to vary by region and city. So far, the strike has been confirmed by public transport staff in many cities in the north of the country, including Turin, Milan and Bologna, as well as regional transport operators across the country.