Municipal police across Italy
went on strike Thursday and thousands attended a rally in Rome
in solidarity with colleagues caught up in a row over alleged
mass absenteeism in the capital on New Year's Eve.
A huge furore exploded when the city of Rome said over 80%
of the municipal police called to duty on the last night of 2014
failed to turn up to work, although unions representing the
officers dispute the figures.
The protest was organized to "remove the mud slung
at the entire category", Stefano Lulli, the leader of the Roman
chapter of the OSPOL union, said.
Thursday's strike and rally led to traffic congestion in
the capital.
Lulli said around 10,000 officers had shown up for the
demonstration.
"The turnout is very good despite the incomprehensible and
hostile strategies of the other unions," he said.
Now the government has to listen to us," he continued amid
growing complaints by municipal police officers over cutbacks
and working conditions.
"Municipal police have been agitating for some time because
they are considered municipal employees when we should be
treated like the other police forces," said OSPOL President
Luigi Marucci.
"We are asking to be likened to them," he continued, adding
that "the local police force is healthy and must be respected by
everyone".
However the strategies used by the police unions were
questioned by other labour organizations on Thursday.
Italy's largest trade union confederation CGIL distanced
itself from the strike, saying that "on December 31, Rome
municipal police got it wrong".
"The situation still needs to be clarified, but even if it
was just one worker, that worker must pay," said Rossana
Dettori, secretary-general of the public-sector branch of the
CGIL.
"It is unacceptable that a worker should use battle
instruments not contemplated by the unions that create problems
for all public employees while we are discussing public
administration reform," she continued.
Earlier Civil Service Minister Marianna Madia said protests
by Rome police, including the alleged mass absenteeism on New
Year's Eve, would be used in framing new rules for Italy's
public administration particularly concerning mass and
reiterated abstention from work, including "concrete
disciplinary measures".
"I believe the right to strike must be fully respected,
just as the petitions brought by today's strikers must be fully
honoured," Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino said.
"However, a distinction must be made between the right to
strike and situations that I can only describe as anomalous,
such as absence due to illness of almost 85% of Rome municipal
police on the night of December 31," he added.
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