Susanna Riva Rome hosted another major union rally: the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) called the " Via Maestra " demonstration to spark a national mobilization. The event is scheduled for November 20, when the union plans to launch a general strike . The march, which started in Piazza del Popolo and continued toward Piazza della Repubblica, attracted more than 100 participants, including workers, students, farmers, and truck drivers.
The Via Maestra procession: itinerary, protagonists, and symbols
Along the route, the crowd waved signs with the slogans "Work, Peace, Environment, Welfare, Constitution" and listened to speeches from political leaders. On the stage in Piazza del Popolo, Maurizio Landini, general secretary of the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour), reiterated the group's commitment, flanked by Elly Schlein (secretary of the Democratic Party), Giuseppe Conte (leader of the Five Star Movement), Nicola Fratoianni , and Angelo Bonelli of AVS, the latter wearing Fiom helmets.
The most symbolic moment was the embrace between Schlein and Conte, a testament to the unity of the forces on the wide field.
The concrete requests that emerged from the procession
Landini's speech outlined a list of demands ranging from increased wages and pensions to an end to job insecurity, including the proposal for a 1% solidarity contribution for those with a net worth of more than 2 million euros.
According to CGIL calculations, such a measure would affect approximately 500 taxpayers and raise between €25 and €26 billion for healthcare, education, and rent. Furthermore, the union has requested the reimbursement of € 4,5 billion from employees and pensioners, calling it a "robbery" over the course of the year, and denounced the € 30 billion in increased tax expenditures incurred from 2022 to 2025.
Landini's statements and reactions from political leaders
From the stage in Piazza del Popolo, Landini delivered statements that have become the bulk of his message: "We are more than 100, so many of us are speaking to the country from this square. It's time to take back our voices ." He then attacked the government, demanding answers "not electoral flourishes ," but concrete actions starting with the next budget law. Among his most incisive messages, he recalled that " Rights are not a gift from anyone " and that " The strike is the most supportive tool there is ."
Schlein's remarks underscored the need to shift spending priorities: "If the government increases military spending to 5%, we must increase healthcare spending to 7%, the European average." Conte, speaking out against the Meloni government, declared that "we can no longer talk about economic records, but about a reality of high living costs that is suffocating citizens, farmers, and businesses." Fratoianni called on the government to address real emergencies, while Bonelli accompanied his speech with a reference to the dialogue with the Pope on "unarmed peace."
The role of the Via Maestra and of the associations
The demonstration was organized by more than one hundred secular and Catholic associations, part of the "Via Maestra" coalition. In addition to the unions, groups such as the FIOM (Italian Federation of Workers' Unions) and environmental organizations participated, demonstrating a broad alliance on issues such as public healthcare, free education, environmental protection, and defense of the Constitution . The call for a parliamentary democracy based on labor and social justice was reiterated several times, as opposed to an "authoritarian Third Republic" supported by market policies.
With the announcement of a general strike scheduled for November 20th, the CGIL intends to channel the energy gathered in the streets into real pressure on Parliament, demanding that the tax reform and investment proposals be included in the budget. The movement closed the demonstration with the singing of "Bella Ciao," performed by the Modena City Ramblers, a symbol of a protest that aims to remain alive in the national debate.