Monday 11th October saw a general strike called by several base unions in Italy, which was marked by a mass blockade against an Amazon warehouse and a violent attack against picketers. Content warning for violence and graphic videos.
A general strike was called across Italy by several base unions including SI Cobas, CUB, USB and USI.
In Piacenza, over a thousand workers gathered to blockade an Amazon warehouse:
Grève de la logistique en Italie ! A l’appel des syndicats de base (SiCobas), l’ensemble du secteur est mobilisé, particulièrement dans le nord du pays. Depuis ce matin, la plateforme Amazon de Piacenza est encerclée et bloquée par plus d'un millier d’ouvriers... pic.twitter.com/kU4NO2qap0— David Gab (@DavidGab_) October 11, 2021
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=337412214848365
Meanwhile, in Prato, a picket against the Dreamland textile company was violently attacked, leading to four strikers being hospitalised:
Italy — Striking workers were attacked yesterday by baseball bat-wielding thugs at a picket organised by the #SiCobas trade union in Prato, near Florence. https://t.co/SgkLgfCibP— ANPI Scuola - Brescia (@ANPI_Scuola) October 12, 2021
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3018330185052371
The SI Cobas union wrote:
"Presidi, and fighting actions across Italy for the general strike of basic unionism.
More than 2000 SI Cobas workers are blocking Amazon in Piacenza.
Freight traffic has been interrupted in the ports of Naples and Genoa, pickets in much of the logistics chain; it stops most of the local public transportation.
We lock everything down!!!"
Responding specifically to the attack in Prato, they added:
"A few hours ago, during the ongoing general strike in Prato textile district, the worker's garrison outside Dreamland was brutally attacked by a squad of thugs armed with baseball bats.
Four workers ended up at the hospital!!!
Once again, the police were present at the scene, filming the assault in peace!!!
It should be pointed out that Dreamland is a contractor of the infamous Texprint, now an arcinot for the illegitimate dismissal of SI Cobas workers fighting against overwork and massacring shifts.
In these hours there's so much talk about squadrism and fascism; the institutions fill their mouths with empty and hypocritical words, while workers who report exploitation and massacring shifts for 12 hours a day are attacked with beating by squads, with the silence and consent of those government forces that in these hours are instrumentally agitating the spectre of neo-fascism and Rome's events to impose a new tightening on strikes and social struggles.
In these instants a spontaneous parade of workers and solidarity has reached Piazza del Municipality from Macrolotto.
Anyone can go support the assaulted strikers!"
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