31 January, 2011FIOM-CGIL held a national strike of metalworkers in Italy on January 28, 2011 in defence of the National Collective Agreement and for the protection of workers' rights.
ITALY: The Italian union affiliated to the IMF, FIOM-CGIL, held an eight hour national strike of metalworkers on January 28, 2011 in defence of the National Collective Agreement and for the protection of workers' rights.
In Milan, tens of thousands of workers took part in the strike, along with workers in 18 other locations around Italy, including Turin where a controversial agreement was reached days earlier at a Fiat plant.
The national strike was in response to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's attempts to undermine the rights and working conditions of workers through collective agreements that fall outside of the National Collective Agreement that have been reached at two Fiat plants under the threat of plant closures and job losses if not accepted.
On January 14, 2011, 5,500 workers at the Fiat plant at Mirafiori in Turin voted 54 per cent for and 46 per cent against a new separate agreement that expands the use of paid overtime, adds new shifts, reduces breaks and limits strikes during full production periods.
At the end of December 2010, another agreement, the first in Italy to be drafted outside of national bargaining rules, was reached with 4,600 workers at Fiat's Pomigliano plant near Naples when workers voted 63 per cent for and 37 per cent against the increase in flexibility in return for unspecified promises of investment and job security.
These new agreements were signed by all trade unions represented at the two sites, including IMF affiliated FIM-CISL, except FIOM-CGIL.
FIM-CISL stated it respected the vote of the majority of workers by signing the agreements at Fiat, adding, "In the Pomigliano and Mirafiori plants "agreements of concession" have been reached in exchange for the guarantee of investments in production and employment. Fim and Uilm, in front of workers, their families and their local communities, menaced by the loss of thousands of jobs (between Fiat and suppliers), let the sense of responsibility prevail."
FIOM-CGIL, who refused to sign the agreement claiming it was tantamount to "blackmail", will now be deprived of representation at the factory, denying workers their choice of union.
According to press reports, the Italian Labour Minister Maurizio Sacconi welcomed the results and said after the vote in Mirafiori, "I hope there will be many more such accords."
The likelihood of these agreements spreading to other workplaces and further undermining the National Collective Agreement is why FIOM-CGIL called for the national strike. "This general strike is a fundamental step to reclaim the National Contract and protection of workers' rights in all workplaces," writes FIOM-CGIL in their call for support.