Landini: 'This is a fraudulent maneuver, change it or there'll be a strike.'

A "mistaken" maneuver that fails to provide real answers on wages, taxes, and pensions, but instead worsens them. And for workers, it's almost a "scam." If it's not changed, the CGIL will go on strike again. It would be the fourth consecutive strike against the Meloni government's budget law. From the national demonstration in Rome, General Secretary Maurizio Landini mince his words and relaunched the mobilization. He calls for a shift in economic and social policies, saying enough to the government's "propaganda and lies." He attacks, among others, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Matteo Salvini for his "fissures" on pensions: "He promised to repeal the Fornero law, but in reality he's raising the retirement age even further."

Only a portion of the opposition forces were present in the square with the CGIL: AVS, with leaders Nicola Fratoianni and Angelo Bonelli. A delegation from the Democratic Party was present, but Elly Schlein was not present, nor was the M5S. Report journalist and host Sigfrido Ranucci spoke via video link, greeted by applause from the crowd, amid shared solidarity and a defense of press freedom.

The march, opening with the rally's slogan "Democracy at Work," marched through the streets of Rome until reaching Piazza San Giovanni, amidst the union's red flags, as well as Palestinian and peace flags. "We're over 200,000," the union estimated, adding to Landini's assessment of the turnout with another jab at the government: "Those who demonize the streets are afraid of democracy."

Voices from the streets and from the stage are calling for wage and pension increases, greater investment in public healthcare (for which a petition by the CGIL and associations will soon be launched) and schools, and a genuine tax reform to stop workplace deaths, and to say no to precarious employment and rearmament. The government is precisely in the crosshairs, which risks causing "damage" and, without investment, "bringing the country to a crash," insists the CGIL leader. Even the tax exemption on wage increases, a key point of the unions, is just "a title" for Landini, because the way it is structured "is laughable: it only applies to private sector workers and up to €28,000 per year, so it only applies to a small portion."

And, for example, he excludes a large portion of metalworkers. He is even more harsh on the reduction of the second income tax rate from 35% to 33% and on fiscal drag: workers earning €30,000 will see "an increase of just €3 per month," while over the past three years "they have paid over €2,000 more in taxes" due to the fiscal drag caused by inflation—a total bill of €25 billion, according to his calculations. "We are faced with—and I take responsibility for what I am saying—a government that is extorting billions from employees and pensioners through fraud," Landini claims.

A strike is therefore on the horizon. "If we aren't listened to, and if Parliament and the Government don't agree to radically change what we consider to be a flawed law, we will evaluate it and we won't rule out anything," he assures, guaranteeing that the CGIL won't stop "until we get answers."