This was not a good day to be travelling on any kind of public transit in Italy.....
At this point, the disruptions are probably winding down and hopefully things are getting back to normal. Fortunately these strikes are usually short, but it's a good reminder of what can happen during travels in some European countries.
Thanks for the reminder Ken!
I read the notice about today's strike while searching for train schedules on the Trenitalia website last night.
It's really too bad for all the locals who rely on public transportation to get to/from work & school on a daily basis.
You're right ... One never knows what can happen during travels in Europe.
We experienced the train strike in France this June & I must say that it was not a fun experience, but thankfully, not all train travel came to a halt, so we were still able to reach our destinations (sometimes earlier & sometimes later than expected)
In Italy railway and public transit workers can't strike between 6 and 9 AM and 5 and 7 PM on working days.
Many long distance trains and all those to/from MXP and FCO nternational airports are also guaranteed to run. Today only 10 IC trains were cancelled. All Freccia and Italo bullet trains have been running as usual.
Of course It isn't easy when there is a national general strike, but it isn't the drama it was in the 70s and the 80s either. Commuters can go to work, kids can go to school... cops and unionized workers can take a nice walk around central Rome.
News of an incoming strike mean little if you cannot decipher the political meaning. USB and Cobas are minor unions, that may be well represented in some local situations but globally have little clout. Most Italian did not even notice there was a general strike yesterday. When you see CGIL, CISL, UIL striking you begin worrying.
I was prepared to walk everywhere yesterday -- and did -- but even in the middle of the day when the strike was underway, there were buses everywhere. You just never know.
That is why I avoid traveling to Italy in October.
Fall is when labor contract negotiations take place and strikes are most likely to occur.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Autumn
I remember a scheduled 4-hour strike at the Uffizi in Florence smack-dab on the morning in October 2010 that we had reservations to visit. We got in, but it made for a l-o-n-g day!
