Milan, 12 December (LaPresse) – Half a million workers, pensioners and citizens took part in over fifty demonstrations organised across the country in support of the general strike called by the CGIL trade union for the whole day today in all sectors, public and private, against a budget law deemed unfair and harmful. This was announced by the trade union. In Florence, the march ended in Piazza del Carmine with a speech by General Secretary Maurizio Landini, with around 100,000 participants in attendance. Clear messages came from all over Italy: increase wages and pensions, stop the rise in the retirement age, combat precariousness, introduce a fair and progressive tax reform and real industrial and tertiary policies, say no to rearmament and demand greater investment in health and education. According to the data received so far, the average national participation in the general strike stands at around 68%. The strike comes after a long period of mobilisation that saw the participation of hundreds of thousands of workers in around 14,000 assemblies organised in workplaces. “The majority of workers and pensioners, i.e. the majority of those who keep this country going,” said Landini, “do not agree with and do not accept this government’s economic manoeuvre. Today’s events demonstrate even more clearly the need for change”.
Strike: CGIL, 68% participation, half a million people take to the streets
Milan, 12 December (LaPresse) – Half a million workers, pensioners and citizens took part in over fifty demonstrations organised across the country in support of the general strike called by the CGIL trade union for the whole day today in all sectors, public and private, against a budget law deemed unfair and harmful. This was announced by the trade union. In Florence, the march ended in Piazza del Carmine with a speech by General Secretary Maurizio Landini, with around 100,000 participants in attendance. Clear messages came from all over Italy: increase wages and pensions, stop the rise in the retirement age, combat precariousness, introduce a fair and progressive tax reform and real industrial and tertiary policies, say no to rearmament and demand greater investment in health and education. According to the data received so far, the average national participation in the general strike stands at around 68%. The strike comes after a long period of mobilisation that saw the participation of hundreds of thousands of workers in around 14,000 assemblies organised in workplaces. “The majority of workers and pensioners, i.e. the majority of those who keep this country going,” said Landini, “do not agree with and do not accept this government’s economic manoeuvre. Today’s events demonstrate even more clearly the need for change”.
