Travel chaos expected as general strike to affect rail services in Italy from Thursday to Friday. ITA Airways cancels 26 flights. Greta Thunberg to join Rome protest.Italy faces a 24-hour national general strike on Friday 28 November, affecting air travel, public transport, schools, healthcare, motorways and public administration.The strike, which will impact both the public and private sector, has been called by the USB and CUB trade unions in protest over the government's 2026 budget bill. Air travel The dispute will affect the air sector, involving flight crews, baggage handlers and airport ground staff, with cancellations and flight delays expected at Italian airports. Italian flag carrier ITA Airways said it has been forced to cancel 26 domestic flights - 23 of which were scheduled on Friday - due to the strike action. The Italian civil aviation authority ENAC reminds air travellers that, during strikes, flights in Italy are guaranteed from 07.00 t0 10.00 and from 18.00 to 19.00. Its website contains a list of guaranteed flights on Friday. Air travellers are advised to check their flight status with their travel company before going to the airport. Rome's Fiumicino airport has warned passengers that rail connections to and from the airport may experience delays or cancellations as a result of the strike. Trains Railway workers across the country are scheduled to join the walkout from 21.00 on Thursday 27 November until the same time on Friday evening, impacting rail services operated by Trenitalia, Trenord and Italo. Both Trenitalia and Italo have published lists of guaranteed long-distance services on their websites, with "essential" regional services guaranteed from 06.00 to 09.00 and from 18.00 to 21.00. Local public transprt Rome's buses and subways, operated by municipal public transport provider ATAC, will be affected by Friday's strike, however services are guaranteed up until 08.30 and from 17.00 to 20.00, according to the city website. In Milan, public transport operated by ATM will run as normal on Friday, with a four-hour walkout planned on Sunday 30 November instead. Healthcare and education The general strike is also set to affect healthcare workers, from the first shift on Thursday night until the last shift the next day, however all urgent and emergency medical services will be guaranteed. The Unicobas union has called a strike for teaching and administrative staff in schools, research centres and universities. Those who decide to join will be on strike for the entire day. The strike is also set to affect taxis and ferry services on Friday, while motorway workers will strike from 22.00 on Thursday until the same time the next night. Reasons The USB and CUB unions have called the strike in protest over the 2026 budget bill and to demand greater investment in the public sector, contract renewal, lower retirement age and wage increases. In a statement, the USB called on the government to lower the retirement age to 62, to guarantee that all national contracts have "at least €2,000" as a minimum starting wage, and to invest in social housing and healthcare instead of "buying and manufacturing new weapons". Rome protest The unions are planning protests in cities across Italy on Saturday 29 November, with a major national demonstration scheduled to take place in Rome. The USB has urged workers to "block everything" - as they did during the recent mass rallies for Gaza - and join Saturday's protest in Rome against the Meloni government's "war budget". Among the aims of the protest is to reject the government's "warmongering and rearmament policies" and to call for an "end to all complicity with Israel and the genocide in Palestine", USB said in a statement, adding: "Let us remember that Italy is among the main suppliers of weapons to the Israeli state, while the genocide continues." The rally, which will begin at 14.00 at Piramide before making its way to San Giovanni, will be attended by Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, along with climate activists Greta Thunberg and Thiago Avila who joined the Global Sumud Flotilla this autumn. Italy faces another general strike on Friday 12 December, called by the country's largest trade union CGIL, also in protest over the government's budget. For official strike information see the transport ministry website. Photo credit: Andrei Antipov - Shutterstock.com.

Italy faces a 24-hour national general strike on , affecting air travel, public transport, schools, healthcare, motorways and public administration. The strike, which will impact both the public and private sector, has been called by the USB and CUB trade unions in protest over the government's . Air travel The dispute will affect the air sector, involving flight crews, baggage handlers and airport ground staff, with cancellations and flight delays expected at Italian airports. Italian flag carrier ITA Airways said it has been - 23 of which were scheduled on Friday - due to the strike action. The Italian civil aviation authority ENAC reminds air travellers that, during strikes, flights in Italy are guaranteed from 07.00 t0 10.00 and from 18.00 to 19.00. Its website contains a  on Friday. Air travellers are advised to check their flight status with their travel company before going to the airport. Rome's Fiumicino airport has warned passengers that rail connections to and from the airport may experience delays or cancellations as a result of the strike. Trains Railway workers across the country are scheduled to join the walkout from 21.00 on Thursday 27 November until the same time on Friday evening, impacting rail services operated by Trenitalia,  and Italo. Both  and  have published lists of guaranteed long-distance services on their websites, with "essential" regional services guaranteed from 06.00 to 09.00 and from 18.00 to 21.00. Local public transprt Rome's buses and subways, operated by municipal public transport provider ATAC, will be affected by Friday's strike, however services are guaranteed up until 08.30 and from 17.00 to 20.00, according to the . In Milan, public transport operated by ATM will run as normal on Friday, with a four-hour walkout planned on Sunday 30 November instead. Healthcare and education The general strike is also set to affect healthcare workers, from the first shift on Thursday night until the last shift the next day, however all urgent and emergency medical services will be guaranteed. The Unicobas union has called a strike for teaching and administrative staff in schools, research centres and universities. Those who decide to join will be on strike for the entire day. The strike is also set to affect taxis and ferry services on Friday, while motorway workers will strike from 22.00 on Thursday until the same time the next night. Reasons The USB and CUB unions have called the strike in protest over the 2026 budget bill and to demand greater investment in the public sector, contract renewal, lower retirement age and wage increases. In , the USB called on the government to lower the retirement age to 62, to guarantee that all national contracts have "at least €2,000" as a minimum starting wage, and to invest in social housing and healthcare instead of "buying and manufacturing new weapons". Rome protest The unions are planning protests in cities across Italy on Saturday 29 November, with a major national demonstration scheduled to take place in Rome. The USB has urged workers to "block everything" - as they did during the  - and join Saturday's protest in Rome against the Meloni government's "war budget". Among the aims of the protest is to reject the government's "warmongering and rearmament policies" and to call for an "end to all complicity with Israel and the genocide in Palestine", , adding: "Let us remember that Italy is among the main suppliers of weapons to the Israeli state, while the genocide continues." The rally, which will begin at 14.00 at Piramide before making its way to San Giovanni, will be attended by , UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, along with climate activists and Thiago Avila who joined the this autumn. Italy faces another general strike on , called by the country's largest trade union CGIL, also in protest over the government's budget. For official strike information see the . Photo credit: Andrei Antipov - Shutterstock.com.