Mass strike in Italy against Berlusconi government

The central points of concern are low wages and temporary contracts across various sectors as well as education reforms that threaten 87,000 teaching jobs and cuts in the health system.

Protest marches composed of workers in transport, education, the health and emergency services among others, paralysed traffic in Rome, Milan and Turin last week, with one union official describing the strike as "a success beyond our wildest dreams." In Rome, unions claimed up to 300,000 demonstrated in the main rally at Piazza San Giovanni. Also in the capital, police in riot gear guarded the entrance to the education ministry to prevent access by protesting university and high-school students.

One worker in Rome, Adriana Renza, who was trying to make it to work despite the bus strike, said: "There are too many cuts. They are making reforms that we don't like, especially in the schools and we all have children at school and it affects everyone."

In Milan, around 50,000 protestors were reported for a similar rally at Piazza Duomo. Local police described the traffic situation in the city as "chaotic." In Venice, the Vaporetti water buses were also down to a reduced service, with around 48 percent of operators adhering to the strike. Some international and domestic flights were also cancelled.

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