The CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) has called a general strike for December 12th. Meloni quips: "And what day is that?"

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The CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) has called a general strike for December 12th against the Meloni government's budget bill, which it calls "unfair and wrong." Fulvio Fammoni , president of the general assembly in Florence, announced the news this morning during the national assembly. However, the UIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) has already announced that it will not take to the streets alongside the CGIL. This is the first time since Giorgia Meloni took office at Palazzo Chigi that the union, led by Pier Paolo Bombardieri, has chosen not to participate in the protest against the budget bill alongside the CGIL. The strike aims, "in light of the grave economic and social situation of the country, to amend the 2026 budget bill during the parliamentary debate." The aim, the union explains, is to "obtain answers for the people we represent and support all the ongoing disputes for the renewal of expired national collective bargaining agreements, starting with those in pharmacies, environmental hygiene, mechanics, private healthcare, the paper industry, and telecommunications." As soon as she received the news, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented on X, jokingly suggesting that this time too the strike would fall on a Friday: "New general strike by the CGIL against the government announced by General Secretary Landini. On what day of the week will December 12th fall?"

But the strike called by the CGIL comes late: the Unione Sindacati di Base (USB) had already preceded them, announcing a mobilization "against the war maneuver, against the impoverishment of labor, and for a new redistribution of wealth" for Friday, November 28th in Genoa. Greta Thunberg will also participate in the grassroots union protest, and the following day she will travel to Rome for the national demonstration also called by the autonomous left-wing unions. The USB's move has left Landini in the position of not being able to call another strike, according to the rules regarding the reduction of general work stoppages in the ten days before and ten days after the grassroots union strike. This is why the CGIL secretary has chosen December 12th.

As we have already stated , the UIL (Italian Labour Union) will not be participating in the strike called by Landini, having already deserted the demonstration organized by the CGIL on October 25th against the war economy and the budget. Indeed, for at least a year, a slow but steady distancing has been evident between the major and minor confederations. The Bombardieri union, despite being critical of the budget law , stated: "With this budget, we have managed to achieve a result: to discuss contracts, which for us are an element of economic democracy." And "the decision to allocate €2 billion to contract renewals is an economically significant one; it affects 4 million working poor." However, "the reduction in personal income tax rates has consistently proven to benefit the upper classes."

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