The loudspeaker at Termini station continuously announces train delays while commuters and tourists sigh. 'We can't take it anymore,' repeats a lady on vacation in Rome with her husband. 'Today we have to go back to Livorno and the train, at the moment, is 40 minutes late. They tell us, however, that it could even increase. Two elderly people forced to spend all this time here at the station. How is it possible?' says the woman.
The national railway strike called by the base unions Cub and Usb - protesting for the renewal of the contract - also paralyzes Termini station where many trains have been cancelled since 9 this morning due to the protest. The line of people at the information points of Italo and Trenitalia is getting longer, as is the list of delayed trains seen on the arrival and departure boards. From 15 to 90 minutes.
Commuters
The 8-hour stop, from 9 to 5, will affect all companies in the sector, and will have an impact on all lines. But the ones suffering the most delays are the commuters who use local trains. Trains arriving from Civitavecchia and Latina have indeed been cancelled. 'I understand that they want to claim their rights, but we commuters can't always lose out,' says Mario, who arrives in Rome by train from Fiumicino every day. 'It's a continuous strike, I'm fed up!' repeats Annalisa, also a commuter.
Long Distance
There are also inconveniences for those travelling out of region. Especially for those going south, like to Naples. 'Today we wanted to take a trip to Naples, but I think we give up. The train is 40 minutes late, but even if we were to take it who tells us that we can return?' complains Maria, while she is in line with her boyfriend trying to change the train ticket.
Tiburtina Station
There are also many cancelled races at Tiburtina station. In this case, the greatest inconveniences concern the regional lines with trains directed to Fiumicino which are 160 minutes late. 'It's not better for those directed to Bracciano, Cesano, Fara Sabina.
The Reasons for the Protest
The strike is based on the request for 'a real and adequate national contractual renewal', as stated in a note from Usb. The agreement signed in January for the renewal, in fact, was not well received by the base unions who reiterate: 'it was signed - it is always read in the note - without any mandate from the workers and without any validation operation of what was signed as instead provided by the current legislation, while the contractual negotiations have seen no assembly or platform voted by the workers. These facts are made even more glaring by the fact that the RSU have expired for more than 3 years'.
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