The nationwide general strike that spread across Italy came to an end last Friday evening, marked by demonstrations, marches, and sit-ins in dozens of cities.
The strike had been called by USB, Cobas, and other grassroots labor unions, reviving the slogan “Blocchiamo Tutto” (“Shut Everything Down”), the same one that characterized September’s protests against Israel’s war on Gaza and had halted ports, transportation, and logistical hubs across the country.
The goal of the mobilization was to contest the Budget Law and the government’s decision to further increase military spending while cutting or freezing public investment in healthcare, education, universities, transport, and other essential public services.
Once again, the situation in Palestine was central to the demonstrations. Banners, chants, and public statements denounced Italy’s role in supplying weapons to Israel and the government’s political and material support for what many protesters and trade union organizations described as an ongoing genocide.
Mobilization continued on Saturday, when Rome hosted a national demonstration focused specifically on Palestine.
The strike had been announced weeks earlier and quickly gained support from social movements, student collectives, dockworkers, environmental groups, and organizations engaged in political and economic boycotts of Israel. CGIL, CISL, and UIL — Italy’s largest unions — chose not to take part and instead announced separate actions in the coming weeks.
The strike affected multiple sectors and caused significant disruption, particularly in transport. Rail service, halted the previous night, remained suspended throughout the day except for legally required time slots. Delays and interruptions were also reported in local and regional public transit across much of the country.
Schools, universities, and hospitals participated to varying degrees; in the health sector, only essential services remained operational. Alongside the general strike, journalists also walked off the job over the failure to renew their national contract — expired eight years ago — although their action remained separate from the demands of the grassroots unions.
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