Following the strike-heavy September , Italy faces numerous further strike dates in October as well. The Osservatorio sui conflitti sindacali of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT) currently lists more than a dozen strikes in its official register, spread across the entire month. Rail services, air travel and public transport in several regions and cities are all affected. The most significant dates are 2 October, 14 October in Tuscany, 16 October for air travel, and 30 October as a national general strike.
National dates: 2nd, 16th and 30th October
The month gets under way with Friday, 2 October, and a multi-sector national strike called by the trade union CSLE. A three-hour work stoppage has been announced for rail services, running from 11:00 to 14:00, with additional action in the maritime sector. Staff from FS Security in Sicily are exempt.
On Friday, 16 October, a 24-hour strike by cabin crew at the airline easyJet in Italy follows, called by USB Lavoro Privato. The strike window runs from 00:00 to 23:59. At the same time, security personnel at Venice Marco Polo Airport (Sicuritalia IVRI) will also walk out, as will EAV staff in Naples for four hours between 19:30 and 23:30.
The month concludes on Friday, 30 October, with a 24-hour national general strike called by the grassroots union USI-CIT. According to the MIT register as currently published, the central transport sectors are exempt from this stoppage, meaning the immediate impact on travellers is likely to remain limited.
Regional strikes in local and rail transport
Throughout October, several regional and local strikes are scheduled in public transport. As early as Saturday, 3 October, AMT Genoa staff will bring buses, the metro and trams in the Ligurian capital to a standstill for 24 hours. This is followed on Friday, 9 October, by a 24-hour walkout at ATM in Milan; on 10 October, the Tramvia Firenze and Autolinee Toscane in the Florence area are affected; and on 15 October, ATAF in Foggia.
In the rail sector, in addition to 2 October, two regional stoppages are planned in Sicily : 8 October (FS Security, 24 hours) and 12 to 13 October (RFI Infrastrutture Sicilia/DOIT Palermo, from 21:01 on Monday to 21:00 on Tuesday).
Tuscany on 14 October: regional general strike
A notable date is Wednesday, 14 October, with a regional general strike across Tuscany, called by the trade union CGIL. The stoppage targets employees in both the public and private sectors. A work stoppage for rail services in the region has been announced from 09:01 to 17:00; air travel remains exempt according to the current strike notice.
What travellers should bear in mind
For all national rail strikes, Italian law prescribes fasce di garanzia, during which a basic train service must be maintained. These guaranteed time windows typically fall between 06:00 and 09:00 and between 18:00 and 21:00. Details on specific affected train services are announced by Trenitalia and the other rail operators the day before.
For travellers whose itinerary falls across any of the strike dates mentioned, it is advisable to consult the official MIT Osservatorio, which is updated daily and also records any last-minute postponements or cancellations. The impact that comparable stoppages can have on travel is illustrated by the 24-hour rail strike on 7 and 8 September and the aviation strike on 13 September.
