ROME, March 21 (UPI).—Seven million farm and industrial staff walked out at this time in a strike barely observed by the person on the street. However motorists had been extra involved by refinery and filling station strikes which can trigger an Easter season gasoline scarcity.
Two of Italy’s poorest and most unemployment-prone teams, farmhands and building staff, spearheaded at this time’s strikes.
About 1.7 million farmhands staged their fifth 24-hour strike in 4 months to press calls for for a brand new contract. Their calls for included a request for a minimal day by day wage of $4.72. Farm staff in 30 of Italy’s 94 provinces now make lower than that.
Different calls for included a 40-hour work week as an alternative of the present 42-hour week, and ensures towards dismissal. Farmhands at present are employed for two-month durations with no assure of prolongation of employment.
Labor unions known as out 5.5 million building and trade staff in sympathy with the farmhands.
The development staff, who’ve grievances of their very own over pay, work accidents and unemployment, made it a 24-hour strike. Newspaper printers and chemical, textile, steel and meals canning staff joined for durations starting from two to 4 hours.
Smaller Teams
Most Italians weren’t affected by the strikes, aside from site visitors jams attributable to strikers’ marches in Rome, Milan, Naples and a dozen different cities.
Nevertheless, strikes by two smaller teams — refinery and filling station staff — brought about higher concern.
About 20,000 staff of personal oil corporations had been within the second day of a 72-hour strike, the most recent in a collection which has lowered gasoline shares in lots of refineries to a minimal.
Gasoline station attendants, demanding more cash and shorter hours, known as a brand new three-day strike beginning at 9 p.m. at this time. Though one of many distributors’ three labor unions refused to hitch the strike name, labor specialists mentioned it was more likely to be more practical than earlier strikes, which sharply lowered the variety of open filling stations.
The refinery strike additionally threatened to have an effect on the cement trade, which is 85 p.c powered by gasoline oil. Numerous cement crops reported their gasoline shares working out.
— The Worldwide Herald Tribune, March 22, 1972