Strike in Italy disrupts public services and travel

ROME: A strike in Italy to protest the government's budget and welfare policies caused flight cancellations, traffic disruptions and a reduction in public services Friday.

Flagship carrier Alitalia canceled 96 national and international flights before an eight-hour protest by its employees that started at 10 a.m. (0900GMT).

Rome was among the cities most severely affected, because of bus cancellations and a demonstration in the city center that drew several thousand workers. Traffic was snarled and some central areas were closed off for a few hours because of the demonstration.

Though the strike was called only by COBAS, a maverick union that often acts separately from the main labor confederations, the group has enough members to cause disruption in various sectors.

Railway workers took part in an eight-hour protest from 9 a.m. (0800GMT) while local transport workers staged walkouts at different hours across Italy. Airport workers and some public sector workers, including in schools and hospitals, also walked off their jobs.

In Milan, the Linate airport was forced to cancel 33 flights and the Malpensa hub 46, the company that runs the city's airports said.

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