Catherwood LibraryILR School

In response to the insistence of Italy?s center-right government on pushing legislation through parliament that would suspend the protections afforded under Article 18 of Italy's Workers' Statute, Italy?s largest trade union Cgil called for a general strike on April 5 yesterday. The legislation---which is part of a larger labor market reform plan that would also establish job exchanges and reemployment support---would remove some of the job protection language that protects Italian workers from casual firings. The announcement of the nationwide strike by the leader of the 5.4 million member union is the first in eight years, and has so far not been supported by Italy?s more moderate second and third largest unions despite their opposition to the legislation.