General Strike Called Across Italy for October 30

A general strike has been scheduled across Italy for Friday, October 30, 2026, bringing widespread disruptions to public services, local transportation, and the national railway network. The 24-hour mobilization was called by labor organizations including USB and USI-CIT to protest rising inflation, declining purchasing power among workers, and ongoing military rearmament policies.

Union organizers are demanding significant wage increases, the reinstatement of the sliding scale wage system, price freezes on essential goods, and reductions in value-added tax rates on primary consumer goods. In addition to work stoppages affecting schools, healthcare facilities, and public offices, demonstrations and protests are planned in more than forty Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Bologna, and Genoa.

The national railway network, encompassing services operated by Trenitalia, Italo, and Trenord, will experience a 24-hour stoppage beginning at 9:00 PM on Thursday, October 29, and concluding at 8:59 PM on Friday, October 30. During the strike, medium- and long-distance trains listed among guaranteed minimum services will remain operational, while replacement bus services will run directly without intermediate stops.

Local public transport management varies by city, with commuter guarantee timeframes remaining protected. In Rome, Atac and Cotral transit networks will operate only until 8:29 AM and from 5:00 PM to 7:59 PM. Conversely, transport personnel in Milan represented by the municipal company ATM will not participate in the October 30 strike, thereby limiting local transit disruptions to the regional railway sector.

The aviation sector faces uncertainty regarding a planned 24-hour walkout by USB from midnight to 11:59 PM on October 30 due to existing regulatory constraints. The National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) and the Guarantee Commission noted that the strike date falls within a protected holiday travel window spanning from October 30 to November 5, during which civil aviation strikes are prohibited to safeguard passenger flows.

Despite calls from authorities to exclude the airline industry from the action, the labor union initially confirmed the protest while leaving room for potential postponements or regulatory penalties. If flights proceed during the strike, legally mandated morning and evening guarantee timeframes from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM will remain protected for travelers.