Tobacconists threaten strike action in protest over the new Green Pass rules which come into effect on 1st February. The president of the Italian Tobacconist Federation (FIT) made the announcement on Monday.
The 13 million customers who enter tobacconists in Italy each day will need a Green Pass from 1st February.
On Monday, the president of the Italian Tobacconist Federation (FIT), Giovanni Rossi, said: “We have begun negotiations with the government and we will soon meet the health undersecretary Andrea Costa who has shown attention to our demands”.
“13 million Italians enter the tobacconist’s every day not only to buy cigarettes but, above all, to pay bills, collect a package or buy bus tickets,” Risso told news agency ANSA. “Customers who, already now, with the current rules and given the small size of the Italian tobacconists, enter one at a time, respecting their turn patiently.”
Risso said the obligation to check for a Green Pass would pose a security risk for tobacconists when leaving the counter. He also stated it would risk sending smokers to the black market, “into the hands of those […] not interested in the possession of the Green Pass.”
Risso also stressed the issue comes down to “common sense.” “We understand the importance of the Green Pass as an obstacle to the spread of infections and, above all, as a stimulus to vaccination even for the most recalcitrant.”
Neighbourhood shops
Tabacchi are often a centre for local communities, described by Rossi as “neighbourhood shops”. Rossi said they continued to provide “essential services for all citizens, despite the rage of the pandemic”, during the covid lockdowns.
Risso said this commitment by tobacconists “is now being ignored”, adding that “our sense of responsibility must be taken into consideration”. He warned that if the government “does not listen to our voice, the strike will be inevitable.”
