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15 May, 2001Hundreds of thousands of metalworkers will down their tools in protest over compensation for cost of living increase.
ITALY: Due to the failure of recent bargaining talks for a new collective contract, Italian metalworkers have decided to put pressure on the employers' association through strike action this Friday morning, May 18. Rallies and demonstrations will be held at local level throughout the country.
The three metalworkers' unions -- FIOM, FIM and UILM -- have made a joint demand for a general increase in monthly wages of 135,000 lire (US$61) to cover real inflation for the last two years, but employers claim that compensation should be limited to so-called programmed inflation, in other words the rate estimated by the government.
At the heart of this conflict, however, is the right to negotiate countrywide collective agreements. The employers, of course, want to breach the trade unions' unity by forcing them to accept collective agreements negotiated at enterprise level. This is a threat for the entire trade union movement, which is based on the principle of solidarity.
The IMF's general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, declared that "the IMF supports the struggle of our members in Italy and we will do everything possible to help them win their case." Malentacchi will be addressing a rally in Turin on Friday, where thousands of metalworkers from the auto and supplier industry are expected to gather. The general secretary of the European Metalworkers' Federation, Reinhard Kuhlmann, is also expected to address a rally in Milan, where great numbers of metalworkers will be on strike.
The three metalworkers' unions -- FIOM, FIM and UILM -- have made a joint demand for a general increase in monthly wages of 135,000 lire (US$61) to cover real inflation for the last two years, but employers claim that compensation should be limited to so-called programmed inflation, in other words the rate estimated by the government.
At the heart of this conflict, however, is the right to negotiate countrywide collective agreements. The employers, of course, want to breach the trade unions' unity by forcing them to accept collective agreements negotiated at enterprise level. This is a threat for the entire trade union movement, which is based on the principle of solidarity.
The IMF's general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, declared that "the IMF supports the struggle of our members in Italy and we will do everything possible to help them win their case." Malentacchi will be addressing a rally in Turin on Friday, where thousands of metalworkers from the auto and supplier industry are expected to gather. The general secretary of the European Metalworkers' Federation, Reinhard Kuhlmann, is also expected to address a rally in Milan, where great numbers of metalworkers will be on strike.