Municipal police strike back

(ANSA) - Rome, February 12 - 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.