Andrea Innocenti On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, shortly before midnight, the tension that had gripped the streets of Taranto began to ease. At 23:00 PM , the roadblock on State Road 106 , located in front of the Eni refinery, ended , and the nighttime strike at the former Ilva steelworks also ended . The decision was made unanimously by the metalworkers' unions in an emergency meeting with worker representatives.
Roadblock on State Road 106 closed and night strike ends
The blockade on Highway 106, which had paralyzed access to the refinery, was lifted immediately after the operation. In the preceding hours, fuel tankers had been trapped inside the industrial site; as many as 37 tankers were unable to exit, creating a potential supply bottleneck.
However, Eni said it would keep its facilities operational, limiting the disruption to transport vehicles only.
Continuous garrison on state road 7
Despite the closure of State Road 106, the unions decided to maintain the protest on State Road 7 , which runs alongside the steelworks. This decision was motivated by the desire to ensure the continuity of the protest, which had by then lasted beyond its initial 24 hours.
The security shifts were organized on a rotating basis to ensure the constant presence of workers, delegates, and union representatives, thus avoiding exhaustion.
Union decisions and extension of the protest
On October 15th at 14:37 PM, the unions FIM, FIOM, UILM , and USB called another 48-hour strike at all former Ilva plants, including the Genoa headquarters. The workers' meeting, held on October 16th at 00:02 AM, discussed whether to continue the blockade on State Road 7 or temporarily suspend the strike. The result confirmed the continuation of the strike, while further instructions from the government are awaited.
Government decree and union demands
The Council of Ministers must approve a new decree for the former Ilva steelworks by this evening. Among the measures envisaged are the extraordinary redundancy fund (Cassa Integrata in Deroga) for related workers and the extension of the economic integration of the extraordinary redundancy fund (Cassa Integrata Extraordinaria) for direct employees of Acciaierie d'Italia . Currently, the redundancy fund affects approximately 3.500 direct workers out of a workforce of just under 8 . The unions, however, consider these initiatives insufficient and are calling for more effective measures, such as early retirement and guarantees for the plant's future.
Another critical point is the decision of the Supreme Court of Cassation , expected on October 20th, and the possible annulment of the Milan Court of Appeal's order of July 27th, which mandates the closure of the hot zone by October 25th , or 90 days from the date of the decree. The outcome of these hearings could determine the continuation or termination of production activities, both in Taranto and Genoa.