General strike hits Italy

The main Italian trade union confederation, the CGIL, organised its second general strike this year on 18 October. The strike, which paralysed much of Italy's transport system, public administration and manufacturing, was in protest against a range of government policies - in particular changes in the protection for workers unfairly dismissed. There were demonstrations in 120 Italian cities and CGIL estimates that half of the workforce took strike action. However, this was rejected by the other two union confederations. Savino Pezzotta, leader of CSIL, the larger of the two, said that unity with CGIL could only be on the basis of the "Pact for Italy", the agreement with the employers and the unions which CGIL has refused to sign.