Italy’s largest transport strike in 25 years crippled the country, with hundreds of flights cancelled and trains, buses, ferries, emergency services and even hearses out of action.
Almost four out of five transport workers took part in the action, unions said, in protest at what they say is insufficient money for transport in centre-left Prime Minister Romano Prodi’s 2008 budget.
It was the first time in a quarter century that all Italy’s transport sectors had gone on strike, newspapers said.
Only taxis offered some relief to commuters in Rome after drivers called off a strike they had observed for two days in protest at plans for more taxi licences.
More than 450 flights were cancelled from the main airports in Rome and Milan. Very few buses, trains or metros were running, forcing commuters to take their cars and causing near-gridlock in many cities. The action followed devastating strikes in Germany and France earlier in November.
The situation was worst in Milan, Italy’s financial capital in the north of the country, where the city’s three metro lines were closed.
“I did my rounds to distribute newspapers and everything was blocked. It was terrible,” said Stefano, who has a newsstand in the city’s centre.
Strike hours varied according to sector and city, with regulations requiring a minimum level of service available for peak hours.
At airports, pilots, other flight crew and ground staff joined the protest. In and out of Rome’s main airport 266 national and international flights were cancelled, the airport news agency Telenews said. At Milan’s Malpensa and Linate airports 205 flights were scrapped, ANSA news agency said.
The strike was called by Italy’s main unions Cgil, Cisl and Uil, which together have some 12 million members.