Italy is set to witness a nationwide 24-hour strike on Monday, 22 September, led by grassroots unions including the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) and the Confederazione Unitaria di Base (CUB). The strike protests the government’s rising military spending, which unions denounce as a dangerous slide into a “war economy”, and stands in solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide and siege in Gaza.
The mobilisation is expected to cause major disruptions across vital sectors such as rail, local transport, taxi services, and toll motorways, though Italian law requires certain essential services to continue during specified hours. Air travel will remain unaffected due to pre-existing industrial action.
Union leaders have condemned the ongoing atrocities in Gaza, calling for an immediate halt to arms exports to Israel, sanctions, and a complete severing of economic and diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv. They argue that Europe’s continued weapons trade and political backing make it complicit in war crimes and the collective punishment of Palestinians.
The strike also highlights domestic grievances: growing job insecurity, falling purchasing power, and the weakening of social protections. Workers accuse the government of diverting public resources into militarisation while neglecting basic needs at home.
This coordinated action represents one of Italy’s most politically charged strikes in recent years, combining a call for justice for workers with a resounding stand against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
