Italy cultural workers strike on June 12 with protests in Pisa and Rome

On 12 June, Italian cultural sector employees – staff of the Ministry of Culture and outsourced museum, library and archive workers – will stage a nationwide strike organized by the CGIL federation, NIDIL, CUB and COBAS. In Pisa, demonstrators will gather at Piazza XX Settembre from 10:00 a.m. to demand better pay, job stability and increased public funding for culture.

The Five Star Movement (M5S) has announced its support. Senate group leader Luca Pirondini said the party will hold a rally in Rome’s Largo Torre Argentina on the same day, urging the government to end under‑funding and precarious contracts for cultural workers.

The unions cite years of budget cuts, a chronic shortage of permanent staff at the Ministry of Culture, and the extensive use of temporary and part‑time contracts as reasons for the action. They call for a hiring plan, improved working conditions and a reallocation of resources away from military spending toward cultural preservation.