The October 3 general strike, organized in solidarity with the Gaza Flotilla, has ignited a bitter confrontation between unions and the government. Italy’s Strike Commission ruled the protest unlawful, citing the lack of the ten-day notice required by law. The CGIL, however, insists the walkout was legitimate and has announced it will challenge the decision in labor court.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned of fines of up to €50,000 and proposed requiring unions to post deposits before staging demonstrations. Under Law 146 of 1990, which regulates strikes in essential public services such as healthcare, transport, and education, unions that breach the rules risk financial penalties, suspension of permits, and even temporary exclusion from collective bargaining.
For individual workers, the situation is different: those who joined the strike face no direct sanctions unless their employer pursues disciplinary action, and in the absence of a government injunction, immediate repercussions are unlikely.
The Commission stressed that the dispute is purely procedural: the protest’s political motives are not under review, but the lack of notice breaches the rules. The courts will now decide whether the strike truly violated the law—or whether the unions acted within their constitutional rights.