ROME – Public transport faced disruption Tuesday after unions called strikes in multiple Italian cities to protest against the exploitation of female labour, the privatisation of healthcare, and unstable employment, on International Women’s Day, transport services said.

 Multiple trade unions (Cub, Cobas, Usb, the Italian Trade Union, Usi, Cit and Sgb) called a national transport strike and protests in Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin on Women’s Day, demanding "wages and careers without discrimination."

 In Milan, local public transport including the metro, buses and Atm trams, as well as regional Trenord trains, were expected to be disrupted, in particular after 6 p.m. when demonstrations were planned to start in Piazza Duca D’Aosta.

 The ATAC network in Rome of buses, trams and the metro expected delays and cancellations all through the working day, while in Naples the Vesuvian EAV service was due to run during rush hour, similar to the GTT in Turin.

 Some trade unions team up with the feminist movement "Non Una di Meno,” which declared it had joined the demonstration "for the protection of the health and safety of male and female workers, for the renewal of the moratorium on dismissals, for the protection of rights in physical labour, for the right to work, to wages and careers without discrimination.”

 Other topics raised included the demand for greater investment in public schools and to fight against precarious work contracts.

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