ROME-- Widespread strikes across Rome have led to the closure of metro line A, metro line B has reduced service and metro line C stays open. The reason for these service delays is due to a strike called by the Faisa Confail union that is scheduled to end at 12.30.

 Meanwhile Rome’s taxis have gone back to work following six days of strike. Last night they concluded a long and drawn out series of meetings attended by the unions and the transport minister, Delrio, after which the taxi drivers decided to abandon the strike to return to regular work.

 Yesterday violent clashes erupted between street-traders and protesting Taxi drivers. Police were forced to intervene as the protests outside the Democratic Partie’s headquarters on Via del Tritone. The taxi drivers are specifically protesting the EU Bolkestein directive designed to open up competition within the service sectors. Taxi drivers claim the amendments will favour multi-nationals such as Uber.  

 Another protester, a street trader, was cited for displaying a knuckle-duster outside the HQ of the ruling Democratic Party, police said. The traders are protesting having to re-apply for licenses under the Bolkestein Directive. The protests have caused chaos in the Italian capital and windows have been damaged by firecrackers. Two protesters have so far been taken to hopsital, with suspected concussion. Roma Mayor Virginia Raggi said she backed the taxi driver protest but condemned acts of violence.

 Today a number of public transport categories decided to call a strike for four hours between 8:30 and 12:30. The “l’Atac” union declared that throughout the day “busess, trams, metros and railways will not be guaranteed to be in service.” We also saw that in some stations in which public transport was still active, there were often difficulties concerning accessibility thanks to the fact that some elvators and escalators were turned off, hindering disability access among other things. Further to this there were ticket service interruptions with some ticket machines being shut off entirely.”

 Worse still on Friday, things are due to become even more serious for commuters as the “Cotral” union is called a strike. Although the trade unions in charge of transport have made the somewhat obtuse comment that “guaranteed slots will be respected”, there is due to be wide-spread delays and difficluties across the city during the 24-hour strike.