CGIL chief mulls general strike

(ANSA) - Rome, October 31 - The CGIL trade union confederation is determined to call a general strike if the government does not back down on labour market reforms, CGIL chief Susanna Camusso said Friday.
    "We will continue our mobilisation...if we don't get a response, we'll take it all the way to a general strike," she said.
    Last Saturday, the CGIL organised a massive rally against the government's Jobs Act labour reform now working its way through parliament, which includes measures softening the rules on unfair dismissal.
    The union said around one million people took part in the demonstration, but Premier Matteo Renzi, whose Democratic Party has traditionally strong ties with labor and with CGIL in particular, has said protests will not prevent the labour reform from becoming law.
    FIOM metalworkers union on Thursday called an eight-hour strike November 11, with major events planned for Milan on November 14 and Naples on November 21.
    The union was outraged after protesting AST steelworkers were hospitalized Wednesday following a clash with police.
    Both FIOM and CGIL are opposed to measures contained in the Jobs Act, a key piece of legislation for Renzi's government.
    "We hope that there will be a response," Camusso said.
    "We won't strike for the fun of it".