Ramsco's Women Empowerment Initiative Recognized Among Top BRICS Businesswomen Practices for 2025    Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    Gold prices end July with modest gains    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Egypt's FM, US envoy discuss Gaza ceasefire, Iran nuclear talks    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Federal Reserve maintains interest rates    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's EDA explores pharma cooperation with Belarus    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Thousands of Italians march over austerity plan
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 12 - 06 - 2010

Rome--Thousands of Italians marched in Rome on Saturday to protest against the government's austerity measures that include cutting funding to local authorities and freezing the salaries of public sector workers.
The "It's all on our shoulders" protest by Italy's largest union comes ahead of its one-day strike on June 25 against the 25-billion-euro austerity plan approved by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government to stave off a Greek-style debt crisis.
The union, CGIL, says the austerity measures are unfair, with a disproportionate share of the pain borne by the poor working class. The labor group has almost 6 million members, over half of whom are pensioners.
Students, retirees, temporary and public workers marched through central Rome holding aloft balloons and red flags, while some played music and football as the procession came to an end.
"There is a part of the population -- mainly public workers -- but also private workers who pay heavily. The sacrifices are practically made by them alone," said Guglielmo Epifani, the head of the CGIL union. "There's another part of the country that is not called to make the sacrifices it could have."
The union said about 100,000 Italians were at the protest. The figure could not be independently verified.
The demonstration won the backing of some opposition parties like the centrist Italy of Values and the Communists but has not garnered support across the board, in a sign the government will be able to implement the measures without major difficulties.
Italy's other two major unions have refused to back the protests by the CGIL union, while centrist leader Pierferdinando Casini called Saturday's demonstration "useless."
"Many in Italy haven't yet realized that we're sitting atop a volcano that is about to explode," Casini said. "No one today can afford to sit by the river and wait for a corpse to float by, because the corpse might be that of our country."
Analysts have warned the austerity budget is likely to send Berlusconi's sliding approval ratings down further.


Clic here to read the story from its source.