Massive Strike Leads Italy Into Temporary Paralysis

[Snellius]

ROME, Oct. 24 — Planes idled on tarmacs, trains stopped running and much of Italy slipped into a state of temporary paralysis today as a result of a massive strike to protest a proposed increase in the retirement age.

Hundreds of thousands of workers heeded the call of the country's three largest labor unions and stayed away from work, and many took part in loud demonstrations that represented more than a single day's sound and fury.

Those demonstrations reflected a growing tension in Western Europe as many governments reassess the affordability of their pension systems and many citizens chafe against the prospect of diminished entitlements.

In Italy, public school teachers played hooky, museum administrators locked their doors and tens of thousands of Italians marched down the main arteries of the country's cities and flooded its fabled piazzas.

"Defend your future!" shouted people in an enormous crowd that gathered about noon in Piazza Navona here. There were whistles, drumbeats and a general air of genuine unease.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/24/international/europe/24CND-ITAL.html?hp

[FlemingsGhost]

1. Americans are frightened cowards, I tell you.

We could learn a lot from Italians.

[oneighty]

3. I wish

Just one time, a nation wide strike. Even if only all working mothers stayed out. Gee, any show of solidarity, any at all.

180

[Code_Name_D]

5. We, we arn't cowerds.

Its just that half of us knows that the other half of us would sell us out quicker than you can blink. The lay person neo-con has absolutly problem with falling on there sword, to make the rest of us look bad.

[InkAddict]

2. Attention Italians

that's not the way to behave -- you need to act more oppressed and downtrodden by your leader(s). Then the USA can pre-emptively rid you of them and their sons, eliminate that old European thinking (isn't Italian chocolate just as good?), bomb out the bad guys and their ostentatious habitations, and provide you with a a whole new system of New Century democracy in which you'll never wont to arise again. In addition, there will be a great big bail-out with forgiveness of all your indebtedness, provided you hand over Rome and its art treasures. The Red Baron is on its way -- Made in America for your comfort and peaceful co-existence in your Golden Age!

[DemBones DemBones]

4. Maybe Berlusconi's support of raising the

retirement age will lead to his fall from grace and fall from power. I'm hoping for that.

[loudnclear]

6. Power to the people!!!

Americans are not only cowards but they have been stepfordized...they don't even realize they are manicans and brainless.

[paulk]

7. Italy's average retirement age is 57

Berlusconi wants to raise it to 62. Italy has the lowest population growth rate in Europe - 0.05%. They have a declining pool of workers paying for the pensions of an increasing pool of retirees. The percentage of GDP going to pensions is the highest in the E.U. at 13.6 (and rising)- it's not sustainable.

This has been coming to a head for a long time. The last time Berlusconi tried to deal with it (1994), it bought his government down.

This is not a situation where one side is completely right and the other completely wrong.

some links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/business/2452683.stm

http://www.josepinera.com/icpr/pag/pag_tex_agingitaly.htm