Italy’s major trade unions confirmed on Thursday that they will press ahead with nationwide air-transport strikes scheduled for 16 February and 7 March. This despite a request by the country’s strikes authority to postpone them to avoid disruption during the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
The Commissione di Garanzia sugli Scioperi, the official watchdog that oversees strike legality, said the proposed protest dates overlap critically with the Olympics calendar. It recommended moving the walkouts to 24 February and 4 March, a period when no Olympic or Paralympic competitions are scheduled.
Trade unions representing pilots, cabin crew and ground staff said the strikes remain essential to their campaign for a renewed collective labour contract. The unions argued that prolonged delays in negotiations and employers’ failure to offer adequate conditions left them with little option but to uphold the protest dates.
Union leaders wrote to the transport ministry and the strikes authority highlighting their concerns. They said that persistent industrial action results from stalled talks and that their demands reflect legitimate worker grievances over wages and work conditions.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini responded sharply to the announcement. He accused the unions of acting in an “irresponsible and anti-Italian” manner by refusing to reschedule the strikes. Salvini said Italy is under global scrutiny as the 2026 Winter Games progress and that blocking air traffic would insult both citizens and visiting athletes.
The protests authority and the transport ministry plan a meeting with union representatives on Friday to discuss the dispute further. Government officials have hinted at possible legal measures should the unions continue to reject calls to adjust their strike timetable.
With travellers already facing transport challenges this winter due to a series of strikes affecting rail and air services, the dispute highlights broader tensions between labour groups and employers over working conditions. Many tourists and athletes are currently arriving in Italy while the Winter Olympics, which opened last Friday, run until 22 February, with the Paralympics scheduled from 6-15 March.
