Italy faces two major nationwide strikes in the coming weeks as divisions among the country’s trade unions resurface. The rare unity that powered October’s mass protests against the government has quickly unravelled.
The hardline Union Sindacale di Base (USB) has called a general strike for 28 November, followed by a national demonstration in Rome the next day. The action targets Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s 2026 budget and her government’s support for Israel.
Meanwhile, the larger CGIL union—Italy’s biggest, with around five million members—has announced its own strike for 12 December, also opposing the budget.
Both unions argue the government’s plan prioritises defence spending over public services. They also say it fails to protect workers’ pay and conditions. But their cooperation appears to have ended, resulting in the nationwide strikes.
Meloni has defended the budget as “serious, balanced and responsible.” She highlighted income tax cuts for middle earners and criticised unions for staging strikes on Fridays, suggesting they were seeking longer weekends.
USB ‘more radical’ stance
Recent years have seen USB emerge as a growing rival to Italy’s traditional union confederations—CGIL, CISL, and UIL—by taking a more radical stance. CISL and UIL will also hold protests against the budget, on 29 November and 13 December respectively, but without calling for strikes.
The USB and CGIL last joined forces on 3 October for a nationwide strike in support of Gaza. That protest drew hundreds of thousands, disrupting transport networks and Italian ports for days. However, hopes of a lasting alliance have faded.
USB leaders now accuse the CGIL of signing wage deals they oppose. The group is demanding a minimum monthly salary of €2,000, a retirement age of 62, and stronger government guarantees on housing and public services.
The union said climate activist Greta Thunberg and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese will attend its Rome rally. Former Pink Floyd musician Roger Waters, known for his criticism of Israel, has also voiced support.
USB executive member Guido Lutrario told Reuters there had been no contact with CGIL to coordinate strike action. He accused CGIL of trying to boycott past USB strikes and said the larger union only joined October’s Gaza protest to avoid missing out on its success.
Italy now faces a winter of discontent, with rival unions competing for influence and millions of workers caught in the middle.
