In Taranto, for more than three days, workers have been blocking fuel tankers from leaving the ENI sites, which produce more than 105,000 barrels of diesel, jet fuel, and other fuels daily.

In Genoa, after two days of protest, workers occupied the prefecture and received a partial response.

For over 14 years, successive governments—with the support of the country’s industrial and financial leaders—have abandoned ILVA’s steel plants.

Today, the Meloni government is hiding behind the judiciary, which has been called upon to decide by the end of October whether to close the Taranto plant due to emissions and the presence of asbestos.

Always distinct from other trade unions affiliated with the CSI, the USB is calling for nationalization and state intervention, with the government taking over management of the company to protect jobs, fund the cleanup of pollution sources, and initiate a green conversion of the steel plants.

There have been too many successive private speculators: billions of euros have ended up in their pockets, while—as was predictable—both the conditions at the sites and those of the workers have worsened. For over a decade, the workers have endured wages reduced by social safety nets and continue to fall ill and die due to the negligence of their employers.

At present, the government is proposing temporary solutions that postpone the necessary responses; the workers, with the USB at the forefront, are reacting by organizing new days of action and mobilizations.

International competition has intensified with the war, which has exacerbated all factors undermining the conditions of the working class—from the threat to entire industrial sectors to speculation that is decimating wages and pensions.

On October 30, the USB responded to the international call issued by port workers and declared a general strike with demonstrations in every city.

Raise wages and pensions - lay down arms