Italian workers will strike

This video says about itself:

Thousands of migrant workers in Italy have gone on strike against alleged government mistreatment.

They say they work just as hard as native Italians and pay their taxes, but are not given equal rights and benefits.

Some of them complain that at times they don’t even get paid at all for their work.

Al Jazeera’s Claudio Lavanga reports from Naples.

[March 2, 2010]

From Associated Press:

March 10, 2010, 6:33AM ET

Italian union calls general strike for Friday

ROME

Italy‘s main labor confederation has called a four-hour general strike that will include transport workers.

Trains, planes, ferries and local bus, subway and tram service are expected to be affected.

The CGIL labor syndicate is protesting what it says is a too heavy tax burden on workers, given widespread tax evasion in Italy by those who are self-employed.

It also wants more protection for workers who only have temporary contracts. Also irking labor leaders are changes in how the firing of workers can be challenged under Italy’s labor laws.

Top UN human rights official Navi Pillay has slammed the Berlusconi administration for treating Roma people and immigrants as “security problems” rather than looking at ways to include them in society: here.

A general strike and massive demonstrations rocked the Italian capital at the weekend as opposition to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s attempts to stack local elections in his favour deepened: here.

Silvio Berlusconi faces inquiry over bid to block ‘hostile’ TV show: here.

Fengqun Yang arrived in France six years ago, and she came out of hiding four months ago when she joined the undocumented workers’ strike. She is the delegate for the 700 Chinese strikers: here.

Greece Paralyzed by New Strike: here.

USA: Immigration reform activists have stepped up the pressure for the regularisation of 12 million undocumented migrants, pledging to take over the capital’s streets with a mass demonstration calling on US President Barack Obama to “keep your promise”: here.