(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Two major Italian unions held a nationwide strike yesterday, the latest in a series of protests against Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's plans to overhaul labour laws and make it easier for firms to lay off workers.
Renzi, facing resistance from both unions and some in his own centre-left Democratic Party, has pledged to push on with reforms to Italy's limping economy, which is heading for a third straight year of contraction.
The main target of Friday's demonstrations was the 39 year-old premier's "Jobs Act", aimed at loosening restrictions on firing employees when companies face a business downturn and weakens a treasured right to protest unlawful dismissal.
With unemployment at record levels and youth jobless rates topping 40 percent, unions say the burden of the reforms and spending cuts is being placed unfairly on workers and will do nothing to revive growth.
"The government has to change its policies on employment," Susanna Camusso, head of the CGIL, Italy's largest union, said. The Jobs Act and the budget do nothing to revive the economy and create jobs."
With pressure growing on Italy to meet European Union deficit and debt targets, Renzi's progress is being monitored by EU partners. Both the European Commission and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have pushed for faster action from Rome.
The strike by CGIL and UIL unions hit public transport as well as hospitals, schools and civil administrations throughout Italy. More than 50 rallies were planned across the country.
"I think it is right to strike, it is time, we need to start moving things. We need to start playing our part as citizens and workers," said Rome commuter Loriana Blasi.
Italy's other main union, CISL, has also criticised the government's handling of labour reform, but did not take part in Friday's walkout.
Speaking in Turkey late on Thursday, Renzi said he respected the unions' right to strike, but he added that the unions would not throw his reform drive off course.
The Jobs Act is part of a package of promised measures to revive the euro zone's most sluggish economy, whose citizens had less spending power on average in 2013 than they had at the start of the century.
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