1972: Millions of Workers Strike in Italy

ROME, March 21 (UPI).—Seven million farm and industrial employees walked out at this time in a strike barely seen by the person on the street. However motorists have been extra involved by refinery and filling station strikes which can trigger an Easter season gasoline scarcity.

Two of Italy’s poorest and most unemployment-prone teams, farmhands and building employees, spearheaded at this time’s strikes.

About 1.7 million farmhands staged their fifth 24-hour strike in 4 months to press calls for for a brand new contract. Their calls for included a request for a minimal day by day wage of $4.72. Farm employees in 30 of Italy’s 94 provinces now make lower than that.

Different calls for included a 40-hour work week as a substitute of the present 42-hour week, and ensures towards dismissal. Farmhands presently are employed for two-month durations with no assure of prolongation of employment.

Labor unions referred to as out 5.5 million building and trade employees in sympathy with the farmhands.

The development employees, who’ve grievances of their very own over pay, work accidents and unemployment, made it a 24-hour strike. Newspaper printers and chemical, textile, metallic and meals canning employees joined for durations starting from two to 4 hours.

Smaller Teams

Most Italians weren’t affected by the strikes, aside from visitors jams brought on by strikers’ marches in Rome, Milan, Naples and a dozen different cities.

Nonetheless, strikes by two smaller teams — refinery and filling station employees — triggered larger concern.

About 20,000 employees of personal oil corporations have been within the second day of a 72-hour strike, the newest in a collection which has decreased gasoline shares in lots of refineries to a minimal.

Gasoline station attendants, demanding extra money and shorter hours, referred to as a brand new three-day strike beginning at 9 p.m. at this time. Though one of many distributors’ three labor unions refused to affix the strike name, labor consultants mentioned it was more likely to be simpler than earlier strikes, which sharply decreased the variety of open filling stations.

The refinery strike additionally threatened to have an effect on the cement trade, which is 85 p.c powered by gasoline oil. A lot of cement vegetation reported their gasoline shares working out.

— The Worldwide Herald Tribune, March 22, 1972