Politics · Italy · 11 hrs ago
CISL rejects CGIL’s planned Italy-wide strike over budget
Italy’s CGIL union has called a nationwide strike for 20 November 2026 involving public- and private-sector workers.
CGIL says rising prices, especially for energy, are worsening the cost of living and that government policies have not done enough to help.
It also objects to higher arms spending and calls for more funding for health and education, fairer tax choices, better pensions and action on insecure work.
CISL opposes striking before the government’s budget plan is known, saying a general strike should be a last resort based on clear goals.
The government is expected to approve the budget plan next week, but its contents were not yet available when the unions took these positions.
CISL says it prefers negotiation and has left open the possibility of joint action with other unions on specific issues.
The disagreement could make a separate union-employer deal harder to reach on wage adjustments for inflation and rules for workplace representation and contracts.
Italy’s CISL rejected the CGIL’s planned nationwide general strike on 20 November 2026.
CISL said the strike was being called before the government’s budget bill was known and should be a last resort based on specific aims.
CGIL says the strike is a response to the cost of living, inflation and what it describes as ineffective government policies.
The planned all-day strike will involve public- and private-sector workers, with legally required minimum services maintained.
CISL said it prefers negotiation and remains open to joint action with other unions on issues and disputes.
- Who
- Italy’s CGIL called the strike; CISL opposed it.
- What
- CGIL plans a nationwide, all-day general strike. CISL said it does not support the action before the budget bill is known.
- When
- 20 November 2026.
- Where
- Italy.
- Why
- CGIL cited the cost of living, inflation, government policies and concerns about spending priorities. CISL said the budget’s contents were not yet known and called for specific aims and concrete reasons before a general strike.
CGIL
CISL
Strike
CGIL
CGIL called a nationwide general strike for 20 November to press its demands.
CISL
CISL does not support a general strike before the budget bill is known.
Purpose and timing
CGIL
CGIL cited the cost of living, inflation and government policies, and called for genuine discussion of the budget.
CISL
CISL said a general strike should be a last resort based on precise aims and concrete reasons, not a generic or ideological initiative.
Approach
CGIL
CGIL plans an all-day strike by public- and private-sector workers.
CISL
CISL’s stated approach is to negotiate and it remains open to joint action with other unions.
CGIL secretary Maurizio Landini announced a general strike for 20 November.
CGIL published its reasons for the strike, and CISL released the conclusions of its General Council meeting opposing it.
The government is expected to approve the budget bill.
CGIL plans to hold the nationwide all-day general strike.
- Strike date
- 20 November 2026
- Planned duration
- All day
- Workers affected
- Public- and private-sector workers
- Minimum services
- Legally required minimum services will be maintained
- CISL position
- Opposes the strike before the budget bill’s contents are known
- Government budget
- Expected to be approved the week after 21 October 2026
2 sources
What people are saying
The general strike is a last-resort tool, which must be based on precise objectives and concrete reasons, avoiding becoming a generic or ideological initiative.
It is wrong to ask workers to sacrifice a day’s pay without yet knowing the contents of the budget.
The cost of living resulting from rising prices for energy goods has received no effective response from government policies.