We are all familiar with strikes. The teachers strikes that delay school openings for weeks, transportation strikes like the one that basically shut down the tri-state area in and around NY during X-mas 2005, Pilots strikes and SAG strikes. In the US these usually make big news because they are about contract disputes and lag on before some sort of resolution. It's different here in Italy.
Now I'm no expert on the Italian strike. In fact I don't know why they do it and why it's so frequent across the board of services but it is a whole different animal and a nutty one at that. For instance there could be a strike on a Thursday of odd numbered, yellow colored buses between the hours of 10:46 am- 3:17pm. It's THAT random. Like I said, I don't know the whys, there is probably some justification,what I do know is for as much as I travel, I need to be on the up and up.
There are a bunch of websites dedicated to the Italian strike schedule. The 2 that I use are:
http://www.summerinitaly.com/planning/strike.asp
http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/
I was on the phone this morning with my friend Deirdre ( my next door neighbor for 6 years in Hoboken) she is in town with her hubby and 10 yr. old. I had made previous lunch plans so was giving her some options for sightseeing and meeting up later. She mentioned her son really had interest in the leaning tower of Pisa and that they might go tomorrow. I suggested she go today and then remembered there is a strike ( second one in 2 weeks).
I said, " Oh, wait, you can't go today, there's a strike". I said it so casually and didn't realize the impact on someone not familiar with the Italian striking culture until I heard the concern in her voice asking if it will be over by Tuesday when they leave for Venice. I laughed and said, " Oh, don't worry, it'll be over by the afternoon. Her response," WHAT", Are you serious.?" Yes I am!
I told her it happens all the time. I told her of the time I was in Siena 5 years ago. I had been visiting Florence for 3 days as a stop on a 3 week February/March trip to Provence and Italy. I had never been to Siena so decided to take the SITA bus ( bus is a better bet in my opinion) to Siena for the day and had bought a RT ticket.When I was ready to leave in the late afternoon I found my way back to the piazza from where the buses departed.
I got to the square and wondered which bus to take, I asked a driver in my best Italian which wasn't that good (still isn't). The driver told me there are no buses to Florence they will go on strike. On strike? Yes, At 5:15 in 15 minutes we go on strike. 15 minutes, why not 10? That was lost in translation on him. When I asked why? Why there was a strike it was probably one question too many because he looked at me as if I was the one who was pazzo! He told me to take the train, with no choice I ask for directions to the train station and how long by foot. Dieci minuti.
Dieci minuti my ass. If your an Olympic sprinter maybe but when you're 5'2" with the stride of a beagle it took 35 minutes. Around the town up the hills, past the entrance walls of the old city where the she-wolves guard. Around the bend, walkin, walkin. I'm exhausted. Finally at the train station. I ask for a ticket, there is no direct train. Out of curiosity I ask about the bus strike. No strike? But the driver said... Did they settle already? In the last 1/2 hour? Talk about good negotiators. I remember thinking they could have used a few of them in New York Christmas week.
It was after that that I decided whenever in Italy and especially after moving here I would be in the know about any transportation strikes. But the sites are not always reliable and these strikes can pop up without a moments notice.
In fact almost 2 weeks ago on a Sunday there was apparently a train strike that ran from 11:00 am- 4pm. I had not checked like I usually do, but I lucked out. I was coming back from Crema via Milan, my train left Milan at 10:45 so I was not affected, but a ton of people were.When I arrived back at Firenze SMN there was a taxi line longer than I had ever seen in 3 years. The foursome in front of me on the taxi line was begging a cabbie to take them to La Spezia, didn't care how much it cost, and I thought it weird they just didn't take the train. It made sense after I read a blog posting about the strike later that day.
To better get a grip on just how widespread and frequent these strikes are I have cut and pasted the strike schedule for today July 8, 2011. It's in Italian , by region, but I will tell you that it ranges from specific banks and post offices, to Italia Telecom, to buses, train, airports and airlines. It's probably going to make this post go on FOREVER . Remember these are the strikes for just TODAY
08-07-2011 | Ministero della Giustizia - Uffici Giudiziari | Nazionale | Rdb Pi-Usb | |
08-07-2011 | Ministero della Giustizia - Circondario del Tribunale di Taranto e sede distaccata di Taranto Corte di Appello di Lecce | TARANTO (TA) | Camera Penale di Taranto | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Lazio (telefonia fissa) | Regione LAZIO | Filatel | |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Marche | Regione MARCHE | Snater | |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Fraud Operation, 187, 191, 119 e numeri verdi - Escluso Marche, 119 Toscana e Sicilia, 187 E.Romagna | Nazionale | Snater (adeguamento con nota del 15/6 per la Regione Lazio) | Indicazione immediata |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Regional Transport e Switching sede di Bologna | BOLOGNA (BO) | Rsu | |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Reparti Aou e Rjm | Regione ABRUZZO | Slc-Cgil, Fistel-Cisl, Uilcom, Rsu | |
08-07-2011 | Meridiana Maintenance Spa | OLBIA (SS) | Cobas-Lavoro Privato | |
08-07-2011 | Ministero della Giustizia | LAGONEGRO (PZ) | Consiglio dell'Ordine degli Avvocati di Lagonegro | Indicazione immediata |
08-07-2011 | Banca Monte Paschi di Siena - Personale delle aree professionali e dei quadri direttivi | Nazionale | Unità sindacale Falcri-Silcea, Confsal | |
08-07-2011 | CPTV - Reparto SuperTV-Messa in Onda | Nazionale | Rsu di Via Verdi Centro di produzione di Torino c/o RAI | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Aziende del Comparto - Medici di base | Regione FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA | Fimmg, Smi, Snami, Intesa Sindacale | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Personale del 119 di Telecom Italia | Regione TOSCANA | Snater | |
08-07-2011 | Poste Italiane S.p.A. | Regione ABRUZZO | Slc-Cgil, Fail-Cisal | |
08-07-2011 | Poste Italiane S.p.A. - Personale Mercato Privati della filiare di Trento | TRENTO (TN) | Slc-Cgil | |
08-07-2011 | Poste Italiane S.p.A. - Settere recapito | Nazionale | Cobas Lavoro privato, Cobas Pt-Cub (Adeguamento) | Indicazione immediata |
08-07-2011 | Poste Italiane S.p.A. - Settore recapito | Nazionale | Si Cobas (adeguamento) | Indicazione immediata |
08-07-2011 | Comparto Pubblico Impiego - (Escluso comparto Scuola e Afam con nota del 24/6) | Nazionale | Usb-Pi | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Ditta Alba Paciello - Cantiere di Sessa Aurunca | SESSA AURUNCA (CE) | Fp-Cgil | |
08-07-2011 | Vigilpol S.r.l. | Regione SICILIA | Uiltucs-Uil | Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Pentalfaservice - Lavoratori appalti pulizia Base Militare di Decimomannu | DECIMOMANNU (CA) | Filcams-Cgil, Fisascat-Cisl, Uiltrasporti-Uil | |
08-07-2011 | Pentalfaservice - Lavoratori appalti pulizia Base Militare di Elmas | ELMAS (CA) | Filcams-Cgil | |
08-07-2011 | Casa di cura Villa Cinzia | NAPOLI (NA) | Fp-Cgil | |
08-07-2011 | Centro FKT | NAPOLI (NA) | Fp-Cgil | |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Dipendenti operanti in ambito del servizio 119 | Regione SICILIA | Snater | Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Telecom Italia - Dipendenti operanti in ambito del servizio 119 | Regione SICILIA | Snater | |
08-07-2011 | Air Vallée Spa - Personale Navigante Piloti e Assistenti di Volo | Nazionale | Filt-Cgil (adeguamento) | Indicazione immediata |
08-07-2011 | Alitalia Cai - Reparto Ruote della Divisione Manutenzione di Fiumicino | FIUMICINO (RM) | Cub Trasporti | |
08-07-2011 | Fenice Srl - National Airport Services Srl - Scalo di Fiumicino | FIUMICINO (RM) | Filt-Cgil | |
08-07-2011 | Gruppo Alitalia Cai/AirOne - Personale Navigante di Condotta | Nazionale | Ipa (adeguamento in data 23/6) | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Gruppo Alitalia Cai/AirOne - Piloti gruppo Alitalia Cai, escluso i voli da e per l'aeroporto di Venezia | Nazionale | Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uiltrasporti, Ugl-Trasporti (adeguamento al p13d) | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Meridiana Fly - Personale Navigante di Cabina | Nazionale | Filt-Cgil, Anpav | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Trenitalia - Ferservizi - Settore Uffici | Regione TOSCANA | Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uilt | Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Trenitalia - Divisione passeggeri regionale - Direzione regionale Toscana | Regione TOSCANA | Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uilt | Indicazione immediata - Revoca |
08-07-2011 | Trenitalia - Divisione passeggeri regionale - Direzione regionale Toscana | Regione TOSCANA | Ugl-Af Trasporti | |
08-07-2011 | Trenitalia - Divisione passeggeri regionale - Direzione regionale Toscana | Regione TOSCANA | Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uilt | |
08-07-2011 | Trotta Bus Service | ROMA (RM) | Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uiltrasporti, Ugl Trasporti |
Ok my friend, but as opposed to the US where you wake up and find out the schools are closed due to a strike, here they actually give you VERY ADVANCED noticed about the strikes so that you can plan accordingly. All in all it's quite considerate, Non Pensi???....
ReplyDeleteThat said, you now need to touch the subject about workers----statale, dipendenti & autonomi.
Perhaps that will clarify the issue of sciopero and how to have a lifelong job that you can never be fired from until you go into baby pension---the benefits my dear........
No, they don't always give VERY advanced notice at least not in my experience. I clearly say it's how I see it as an observer, I don't know the whys and am first to admit I have no idea about statale, dipendenti & autonomi.
ReplyDeleteSo please enlighten me :)