Italy faces general strike on Monday 18 May

USB trade union calls a 24-hour walkout across Italy's public services, citing military spending and solidarity with Gaza. Italy faces widespread disruption to public services on Monday after the rank-and-file Unione Sindacale di Base (USB), joined by the USI, called a general strike for 18 May.   The 24-hour strike action will affect transport, schools, healthcare and the wider public sector for the full working day. Transport Public transport networks across the country face significant disruption at local level, though each city will maintain guaranteed service windows, the details of which are to be confirmed in the coming days. Air travel has been exempted from the strike. Schools and public administration Schools and nurseries may close, depending on the level of participation among teaching staff and support personnel (ATA). Families will be informed by individual institutions in accordance with current regulations. Public administration offices are also expected to be affected. Healthcare Routine scheduled appointments, laboratory tests and non-urgent surgical procedures may be postponed. Emergency and urgent healthcare will remain guaranteed throughout the strike. Unions' demands USB has framed the strike around both domestic and foreign policy grievances. The union is calling on the government to end what it describes as Italy's complicity in ongoing conflicts, halt rearmament, and redirect public spending away from defence towards wages, pensions, public services, housing, healthcare and education.   The strike declaration makes explicit reference to the Global Sumud Flotilla appeal and expresses solidarity with those affected by the conflict in Gaza.   The actual scale of disruption will depend on the rate of participation across each sector on the day.   For the official strike calendar see the transport ministry website. Photo credit: Pier Luigi Maschietto / Shutterstock.com