Gas station tenants in Italy will go on strike for 48 hours from Tuesday evening. They are protesting a “shameful smear campaign” and what they see as poor government action in the energy crisis, according to three unions.
The strike will begin at 7 p.m. and will continue until the same time on Thursday. From 22:00 it is not allowed to refuel at gas stations along the highway for 48 hours. The unions Fabib, Fegica and Figisc/Anisa called on their members not to allow self-service during this time either.
Tenants are angry about the actions of the government
The background to the union action is the actions of the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the fight against the rise in fuel prices. The financial police were instructed, among other things, to check petrol stations for possible unjustified price increases. In addition, the tenants were obliged to publish the average price per liter in their region in addition to the fuel price at their pumps. Violations are subject to fines. According to the strike call, the measures punish operators but do not help customers.
Even more than against the conditions, the gas station tenants protest against public statements about their profession. They see themselves as victims of a smear campaign. In early January, a number of prominent politicians, including Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini, claimed that fuel had risen due to price speculation at gas stations. In fact, petrol and diesel became more expensive because the government abolished some fuel discounts.
Some cranes remain operational
Because petrol stations are essential service providers, some taps must also remain open during the strike. In addition, the gas stations operated directly by the oil companies could also remain exempt from the strike.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
