Travellers heading to Sicily’s Aeolian, Egadi, Pelagie and other minor islands faced major disruption on 17 July as **Caronte & Tourist’s maritime crews walked out for 24 hours**, from 06:30 on Friday until 06:30 on Saturday. The strike, registered with the Ministry of Transport’s official calendar, forms part of a wider month-long wave of transport stoppages ahead of the August strike moratorium. Minimal services were guaranteed—three return crossings for the Aeolian Islands, two for the Egadi, and single sailings for Ustica, Pantelleria and Lampedusa—but hydrofoil links were suspended and vehicle queues built up at Milazzo and Trapani. Local hoteliers reported dozens of same-day cancellations, while logistics firms rerouted perishable cargo through Catania by air at premium rates. Although primarily domestic, the islands are popular with international tourists and offshore-energy contractors. HR managers with staff deployed on sub-sea cable and wind-farm projects had to scramble for charter options or overnight accommodation on the mainland, illustrating how **labour unrest in peripheral routes can ripple through global mobility plans.** Unions CGIL Transporti and USB say the walk-out protests stalled contract talks and safety staffing levels in light of rising passenger volumes. They threaten additional action in August unless the company agrees to a new wage grid. Employers should therefore flag **possible repeat disruptions during peak holiday weeks** and advise inbound assignees to book flexible tickets.
