Italian trade unions have announced two nationwide protest actions in the healthcare sector. The first strike by private healthcare and care home workers will take place on March 17. Meanwhile, a protest by private pharmacy staff is planned for April 13. The strikers are demanding the negotiation of new collective agreements to replace those that expired years ago, as well as improvements in working conditions and wages. The situation concerns several hundred thousand workers.
Two separate protest dates
Protests in the healthcare sector will be spread over time. A nationwide strike by workers in private healthcare and care homes (RSA) is planned for March 17. Meanwhile, April 13 has been designated as a strike day for workers in private pharmacies.
Demand to renew collective agreements
The main demand of the strikers is the conclusion of new collective labor agreements. The unions point out that the previous agreements expired long ago, resulting in a prolonged lack of legal regulations concerning employment conditions, wages, and rights for hundreds of thousands of workers.
Scale and scope of the protests
The March 17 action will cover workers in private healthcare structures and staff at social care homes (RSA). Three main trade unions are participating. The April 13 protest concerns the private pharmacy sector. In both cases, the protests are nationwide, which could cause serious disruptions to the functioning of these facilities.
Situation in care homes
One of the articles particularly highlights the situation of about 300,000 workers with expired collective agreements. This includes, among others, care home staff, where staffing tensions and underfunding have been a significant problem for years, affecting the quality of services provided.
Italian trade unions have announced two dates for nationwide protests in the healthcare sector. The first, scheduled for March 17, will involve workers in private healthcare and staff at social care homes (Residenze Sanitarie Assistenziali, RSA). The second will take place on April 13 and will concern only workers in private pharmacies. The calls to strike were issued by the three main trade union organizations: CGIL, CISL, and UIL, which are coordinating the protest actions. The main demand is the signing of new, up-to-date collective labor agreements to replace the agreements that expired several years ago. This situation causes a prolonged lack of wage regulations and working conditions for hundreds of thousands of people employed in this sector. The scale of the announced protests is significant. According to information from one of the articles, this concerns about 300,000 workers with expired contracts. The March 17 strike is nationwide and could seriously disrupt the functioning of private clinics, outpatient clinics, and care homes. The April 13 protest in pharmacies is also set to cover the entire country. The unions indicate that the prolonged deadlock in negotiations and growing inflationary pressure have forced them to take radical steps.Collective bargaining in Italy's private healthcare sector has faced difficulties for years. The government and employers' organizations often delay its conclusion, citing economic difficulties. This leads to prolonged periods during which workers are deprived of up-to-date wage regulations, which is a source of chronic social tensions. The announcement of the strikes fits into the broader context of social unrest in Italy, particularly in public and quasi-public service sectors, which struggle with funding problems and staff shortages. The lack of new collective agreements is one of the key factors worsening working conditions, which translates into the quality of services provided, especially in sensitive areas such as long-term care. The unions hope that the nationwide protest will force employers and authorities to return to the negotiating table and work out a solution. 300 000 — workers with expired collective agreementsTimeline of announced protests: March 17, 2026 — Strike in private healthcare and RSA; April 13, 2026 — Strike in private pharmacies
Perspektywy mediów: The protests are presented as a necessary and justified reaction by workers to the prolonged negotiation deadlock, resulting from the neglect of authorities and employers. The articles do not present a clear right-wing perspective, focusing mainly on facts regarding the organization of the protests.