Sciopero! Strike!
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
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Posts: 8,215
Sciopero! Strike!
According to Bologna Today, there's a national strike planned for October 21. Folk with their ear to the ground in Italy will have a better sense than I as to how serious this strike threat is. Please chime in.
http://www.bolognatoday.it/cronaca/s...1-ottobre.html
http://www.bolognatoday.it/cronaca/s...1-ottobre.html
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
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Posts: 2,881
It's serious. No flights. Trains out from 9 to 5, buses out as determined by each locality, some boats to large islands will run. Sometimes these things get revoked, but right now, there seems little chance.
Last edited by Perche; Oct 14, 2016 at 11:30 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: BA blue, LH Senator, KQ (FB) gold
Posts: 8,215
Thanks, Perche. I still follow a couple of Bologna publications on FB from when I lived there and thought this was worthy to bring to Flyertalker's attention.
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 975
Welcome to Italy ... a strike is a regular cultural event! Try to work round it by planning your journeys with plenty of margins and plans B, C and D. Keeping a good sense of humour does help though!
(Travel in my student days was full of unexpected opportunities occasioned by strikes .. and whilst some tested my patience, others were delightful in new company and new places!)
(Travel in my student days was full of unexpected opportunities occasioned by strikes .. and whilst some tested my patience, others were delightful in new company and new places!)
#5
Join Date: Mar 2011
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This is different. on the website that lists the country's planned strikes for October there are at least 20 strikes. But these are just individual cities or regions. Sometimes they last for four hours, sometimes 6, 24. And things still run. The trains run during the hours when people need them to get to and from work. In Venice the Coast Guard drives the vaporetti. It's more of an aggravation or inconvenience. A sciopero nazionale is different. It is to, "bloccare il paese," or shut the country down. No flight, no trains to one town or another, etc.
Last edited by Perche; Oct 15, 2016 at 12:02 am
#6
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Join Date: May 2004
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This is different on the website that lists the country's planned strikes. For October there are at least 20. But these are just individual cities or regions. Sometimes they last for four hours, sometimes 6, 24. And things still run. The trains run during the hours when people need them to get to and from work. In Venice the Coast Guard drives the vaporetti. It's more of an aggravation or inconvenience. A sciopero nazionale is different. It is to, "bloccar il paese," or shut the country down. No flight, no trains to one town or another, etc.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,108
Is there any chance that this sciopero nazionale could get rescheduled to the 20th?
We arrive at VCE on 10/20 and I'm just wondering if there's much to be concerned about?
I don't really see the strike impacting us one way or the other, apart from lunch reservations on the isle of Giudecca on 10/21. I'm sure our hotel can arrange transportation though. The Gritti has their own boat. We have no other fixed plans that day.
I'm slightly worried about the possibility of it being pushed ahead one day, as it would turn into an enormous inconvenience and problem if it occurred on our day of arrival. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that it got scheduled for the 21st.
We arrive at VCE on 10/20 and I'm just wondering if there's much to be concerned about?
I don't really see the strike impacting us one way or the other, apart from lunch reservations on the isle of Giudecca on 10/21. I'm sure our hotel can arrange transportation though. The Gritti has their own boat. We have no other fixed plans that day.
I'm slightly worried about the possibility of it being pushed ahead one day, as it would turn into an enormous inconvenience and problem if it occurred on our day of arrival. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that it got scheduled for the 21st.
#8
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
Is there any chance that this sciopero nazionale could get rescheduled to the 20th?
We arrive at VCE on 10/20 and I'm just wondering if there's much to be concerned about?
I don't really see the strike impacting us one way or the other, apart from lunch reservations on the isle of Giudecca on 10/21. I'm sure our hotel can arrange transportation though. The Gritti has their own boat. We have no other fixed plans that day.
I'm slightly worried about the possibility of it being pushed ahead one day, as it would turn into an enormous inconvenience and problem if it occurred on our day of arrival. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that it got scheduled for the 21st.
We arrive at VCE on 10/20 and I'm just wondering if there's much to be concerned about?
I don't really see the strike impacting us one way or the other, apart from lunch reservations on the isle of Giudecca on 10/21. I'm sure our hotel can arrange transportation though. The Gritti has their own boat. We have no other fixed plans that day.
I'm slightly worried about the possibility of it being pushed ahead one day, as it would turn into an enormous inconvenience and problem if it occurred on our day of arrival. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that it got scheduled for the 21st.
Last edited by Perche; Oct 15, 2016 at 9:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,108
Thanks Perche, I asked the concierge and he wrote back:
"In case of strike, it depends if all of them will do that , will find a taxi boat ."
Which I don't entirely understand but take it to mean that they will figure out a way to accommodate us regardless of the strike. Their Riva boat is running until the 23rd btw; I think they must consider that the start of the cold season since it gets docked until the spring. They typically only offer it for either set or custom tours of the lagoon and islands, so it's not regularly used as a means of private transit but I'm sure they'll take it out if needed. As soon as we arrive, I'll be sure to ask about the strike and find out whether the boat is free for our lunch reservation.
"In case of strike, it depends if all of them will do that , will find a taxi boat ."
Which I don't entirely understand but take it to mean that they will figure out a way to accommodate us regardless of the strike. Their Riva boat is running until the 23rd btw; I think they must consider that the start of the cold season since it gets docked until the spring. They typically only offer it for either set or custom tours of the lagoon and islands, so it's not regularly used as a means of private transit but I'm sure they'll take it out if needed. As soon as we arrive, I'll be sure to ask about the strike and find out whether the boat is free for our lunch reservation.
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
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If in your shoes, I would choose between 2 possibilities. If you are not just staying in Venice for 1-2 days, find a place to eat and do things where no transportation is needed. That would include everywhere in Venice, because anywhere you walk around will be magical. You don't have to go to Giudecca.
Or, if you have to go to Giudecca for that particular restaurant that may have some sentimental value that I won't question, I am 95% sure that during the strike there will still be boats back and forth between Venice and Giudecca. Giudeccani children have to go to and from school, and so the vaporetti will run during the most important periods, despite the strike.
The strickers are trying to get the federal government to give them more money for job creation. They do not want to push the average citizen to be against them, so every strike has some exceptions to not affect the locals too much.
There will be some boat service between The Giudecca and Venice. Strikes do not leave people having to sleep under a bridge. So, despite the strike, I am sure you can still go back and forth to the Giuedecca a few times a day.
However, if I were you I'd just stay in Venice that day. That is because although there must be service to Giudecca, it might only be to accomododate workers hours, and you will have long waits.
The response Gritti gave you, if your post is accurate, is that their private boat won't operate, and they will try to find somebody else. Then, they will say that nobody else was available due to the strike. They didn't want to say no, and make you cancel.
Last edited by Perche; Oct 16, 2016 at 3:28 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 1,393
Differimento sciopero generale del 23 settembre al 21 ottobre
#12
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
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??? Isn't the sciopero generale of October 21st just the postponement of the one originally scheduled on September 23rd?
Differimento sciopero generale del 23 settembre al 21 ottobre
Differimento sciopero generale del 23 settembre al 21 ottobre
#14
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 466
I know it's complicated, but as a general rule of thumb in these cases try to find out if all the unions are involved.
In this case only a minor one (UBS) was, while the major unions (CGIL, CISL, UIL) had called themselves out of it.
I flew back to Milan on the day of the strike and everything was business as usual, possibly better than usual because my flight landed early, luggage arrived quickly and there were three no. 73 buses to city centre waiting outside.
In this case only a minor one (UBS) was, while the major unions (CGIL, CISL, UIL) had called themselves out of it.
I flew back to Milan on the day of the strike and everything was business as usual, possibly better than usual because my flight landed early, luggage arrived quickly and there were three no. 73 buses to city centre waiting outside.
#15
Join Date: Mar 2011
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USB is a major union. 1.4 million workers went on strike. Not only schools were closed, even the fire departments across most of Italy were closed. You were lucky. They usually try to get workers to and from work, as it is a workers union so ther are usually some trains and buses around workers' hours, but 60% of flights that day were canceled, as well as most bus services. I think you were pretty lucky.
Last edited by Perche; Oct 24, 2016 at 3:28 pm