When I came to Italy, I was blissfully ignorant of any potential political or economic problems I might face in my three months here. That very quickly came to an end once I landed in Naples. It wasn’t hard to tell that the majority of southern Italy was dependent on tourism, with that being the main source of economy for many people. The tourism industry would also put a strain on many people during the tourist months while the rest of the year is so calm and quiet. With tourism season now underway, the people who are agitated with working circumstances can often be overworked, and go on strike.
This happened during my first two weeks in Italy. The train system from Sorrento to Naples went on strike and I was unsure of how this would affect me. I was used to traditional American strikes that often involved picket lines as well strikes. Luckily for me, Italians must register their strikes in advance and must also have basic or minimal services throughout the day. This is often worked out between companies and the trade unions and allows travelers to still get to Naples throughout the day.
This strike was announced by theFAISA which is uniquely independent of all political parties and was used in order to gain better working conditions. Many of the workers in the transportation sector are increasingly dissatisfied with their working conditions, causing strikes to be progressively more common. While strikes do affect travelers and tourists, they often just require extra planning or a different way to arrive at your destination.
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