Workers strike vs. Fiat; major cities in Italy paralyzed

MILAN, Italy - Thousands of metal workers in Italy staged a national strike against automaker Fiat last January 28.

The general strike led by the Federazione Impiegati Operai Metallurgici or Federation of Metal Workers (FIOM), the metal workers’ arm of the left-wing union paralyzed the major cities of Italy including Bologna, Rome, Genoa, Termini, Cagliari, Naples, Brescia, Florence, Sicily, Ancona, Turin and Milan.

The move came after an agreement was signed between Fiat management and some moderate trade unions without FIOM at the Mirafiori plant in Turin.

For FIOM, the agreement would result in a new work contract, cancellation of the National Collective Agreement, worsening of work conditions and cutting of some basic trade union rights. These were the conditions set by Fiat to invest in the plant.

Mirafiori plant workers approved the deal by a slim margin. Of the more than 5,000 workers who voted, 2,735 voted "yes" (54%) and 2,307 voted "no" (45.95%).

FIOM claimed that the "yes" votes won because of this blackmail: If the yeses don’t win, Fiat will divert its investment to another country.

Milan protest

Ninety tour buses had pulled in from all over Lombardy to Milan for the protest.

Demonstrators carrying red flags flocked to Via Palestro as early as 8 a.m.

They marched in demonstrations through major streets of the city and stopped at Duomo Square. Some proceeded to Via Larga where the office of Assomlarda, the largest territorial association of the entire entrepreneurial system in the country is.

While the Fiat’s hotly contested deal was the rallying cry in the protests, many workers from different sectors joined the general strike.

Filipino activists also took part in the demonstration.

“Ang laban ng mga manggagawa ng Fiat at ang laban ng lahat ng mga manggagawa dito sa Italya ay hindi kaiba sa laban ng mga manggagawa natin sa Pilipinas,” said Edwin Bigcas, chairperson of Migrante International-Milan Chapter.

Police were scattered to ensure peace and order. Tension occurred when police stopped some 3,000 students from joining the protest. After a while, the students were allowed to march to Via Larga where other protesting workers were.