Port of Gioia Tauro workers announce national strike

Italian port workers have announced a 24-hour national strike scheduled for Monday, September 28. Protesters plan to hold a demonstration at the entrance of the Port of Gioia Tauro to demand recognition of port work as ‘usurante’ (strenuous/exhausting) for pension purposes.

Labor representatives claim that despite a commitment from the Ministry of Labour in May to convene a technical committee regarding pension reforms for port workers, no such meeting has occurred. Workers cited extreme working conditions, including high temperatures and 24-hour shifts, as primary concerns. Additionally, there are concerns regarding legislative amendments that could allow terminal companies to bypass regulated labor systems by using employment agencies.

Separately, a delegation from the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) recently conducted an institutional visit to the Port of Gioia Tauro. The visit focused on the port's operational capacity and female leadership within the maritime sector. The port, which serves as Italy's largest transhipment hub, employs approximately 3,000 people and accounts for over 50% of Calabria's private GDP. Ongoing infrastructure projects at the site include cold ironing developments to provide electrical power to docked vessels.