Budget: CGIL calls for general strike on 12 December, demonstrations across Italy

Milan, 5 December (LaPresse) – ‘Against a budgetary manoeuvre deemed unfair’, the CGIL trade union has called a general strike for Friday 12 December. The strike will affect all sectors, public and private, for the entire day. Demonstrations are also planned in all cities, from northern to southern Italy. The general secretary, Maurizio Landini, will take part in the march in Florence, which is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. in Piazza Santa Maria Novella and then move on to Piazza del Carmine, where he will speak at the closing rally. “With next Friday’s mobilisation”, the CGIL, “together with the workers of this country, is calling for higher wages and pensions, a halt to the rise in the retirement age, an end to precarious employment, the introduction of a fair and progressive tax reform, a rejection of rearmament and investment in health and education, as well as the implementation of genuine industrial and tertiary sector policies”, reads a statement. Among the numerous demonstrations planned, the CGIL national confederal secretariat will be involved as follows. Giuseppe Gesmundo will be in Genoa: gathering at the Stazione Marittima at 9 a.m., followed by a city parade and closing rally in front of the Prefecture, in Largo Lanfranco. Lara Ghiglione will be in Ferrara: meeting in Piazzale Medaglie d’Oro (Prospettiva) at 9.30 a.m. Luigi Giove will be in Naples: gathering in Piazza del Gesù at 9 a.m. and closing rally in Piazza Municipio. Daniela Barbaresi will be in Cagliari: demonstration in Piazza del Carmine at 10 a.m. Christian Ferrari will be in Bari: gathering in Piazza Massari at 9.30 a.m., followed by a closing rally in Piazza Libertà. Maria Grazia Gabrielli will be in Ancona: gathering in Piazza del Crocifisso at 10 a.m., followed by a march and closing rally in Piazza del Papa. Francesca Re David will be in Brescia: gathering at the San Faustino metro stop at 9:00 a.m., followed by a march and closing rally in Piazza Paolo VI. In Rome, the demonstration will start at 9:00 a.m. from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and end in Via dei Fori Imperiali.