Watch out for these October strikes in Spain and Italy

They will affect ground and air transport, so it’s better to be prepared in advance

Even if summer is behind us now, it doesn’t seem that strike season in the European public transport sector is out just yet. Here comes the latest recap of planned and possible labour dispute actions you can expect to take place in Italy, Spain and France this month.

Italy’s delayed strike

At the end of last month, Italy was supposed to be in the grip of a 24-hour national strike affecting the public transit systems of its major cities, such as Rome and Milan. A last-minute intervention by the government, however, changed this.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini wanted to make sure that Rome’s reputation wouldn’t be tarnished during the prestigious Ryder Cup golf tournament taking place in the capital city. Initially, the plan was to reduce the time scope of the labour inaction, however, in the end, the trade union behind the strike decided to postpone it.

Thus, the 24-hour public transport strike is now set to take place on 9 October. It will be the second round of disruption in services after a strike that took place on 18 September.

The best advice is to check the transport operators’ websites and allow extra time for possible delays on this day if you’re in Italy.

Alicante’s airport in the crosshairs of labour disputes

The Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez Airport recently won the “Best Airport in Europe” in the 5-15 million annual passengers category. However, that accolade hasn’t tempered the demands of the staff working at the security gates.

The employees of Ilunion Seguridad have been walking out of their jobs on different days since September. They want the company to reduce "excessive work shifts" and establish breaks in accordance with legislation and labour regulations with the aim of improving their family balance and guaranteeing digital disconnection outside of their working day. 

Passengers flying out of that airport will best pay attention to the following dates: 1, 3, 6-15, 17, 20-22, 24, 27-29 and 31 October. There are likely to be delays at the security line-ups at certain times throughout the day.

There is also the looming threat of strikes in the Paris Metro. FO-RATP, the trade union which represents public transport workers in the French capital, is currently negotiating with authorities, however, if these talks fail, there could be disruptions in the services performed by station staff.