Italy: Union calls strike as metalworking talks reach deadlock

Fiom-Cgil, one of Italy's largest trade unions, called a strike in October 2009 in support of its demands for a new collective agreement for the metalworking industry, following negotiations hampered by the economic recession and divisions among unions.

The Government and the main social partner organisations, except the left-leaning Cgil trade union confederation, signed an agreement to reform the Italian collective bargaining system in January 2009.