Friday 13 November sees a fresh wave of labour unrest in Italy’s urban transport sector. In Lombardy, AL Cobas and Confial have called a 24-hour walk-out at ATM, the operator of Milan’s metro, tram and bus network as well as services in Monza-Brianza. Guaranteed rush-hour windows run only until 8:45 and between 15:00–18:00; outside those slots services may stop without notice. In parallel, staff of ATVO, which links Venice Marco Polo Airport, Mestre railway hub and the Adriatic resorts, are striking throughout the day, with minimum service between 06:00–09:00 and 12:00–15:00. Travellers heading to flights or cruise departures should allow extra time or pre-book taxis, as airport coach frequency could fall below one per hour. Strike monitors report early cancellations on the Venice–Jesolo and Venice–Cortina ski-shuttle routes. Unions cite stalled pay negotiations, safety concerns and opposition to what they call the “creeping privatisation” of municipal networks. The action arrives as Milan prepares for the influx of spectators to the ATP Finals in Turin next week, raising fears of residue disruption if talks fail. Corporate mobility managers should alert assignees to digital alternatives such as the BikeMI and RideMovi schemes during the stoppage, and verify taxi-voucher limits for employees with mobility impairments. Employers who reimburse public-transport season tickets may need to adjust payslips in line with Italy’s ‘fair-strike’ regulations if the stoppage reduces usable days. The Ministry of Transport’s strike calendar shows a further nationwide general strike on 20 November, underlining the importance of proactive travel policy communication during Italy’s autumn industrial-action season.
Source: Adnkronos
