ROME - Strikes hit Italy again Sunday as center-right Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and union leaders clashed over labor reform.þþAbout half of Italy's regional and inter-city train services were canceled for 24 hours starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, train operator Trenitalia said.þþRailway union Orsa called the stoppage to press for better pay and working conditions.þþThe strike, albeit not directly tied to labor reform, is the latest in a wave of industrial action that has gripped Italy.þþOn April 16, millions of Italians staged a general strike to protest against government labor reforms.þþThe strike was aimed at a small part of Berlusconi's planned reform -- an adjustment to Article 18 of Italy's labor code, which forces companies to reinstate anyone sacked without ''just cause.''þþRelations between unions and the government broke down in March after extremist leftwing guerrillas shot dead Marco Biagi, one of the architects of the contested labor reforms.þþBerlusconi clashed with union leaders over the weekend.þþ``They can strike as often as they like, but I will never give in,'' he told reporters during a trip to Sardinia.þþSergio Cofferati, leader of Italy's largest union CGIL, responded: ``Berlusconi should know that people will continue to strike until they get what they want.''þþSavino Pezzotta, leader of the Cisl union, threatened further strikes unless the government met union leaders to discuss changes to labor rules.þþAir traffic controllers are set to stop work for four hours Friday, threatening further chaos for travelers. Rome airport workers are planning a four-hour protest over working conditions on June 14.þþ
Source: NY Times
