Italian Opera Unions Protest Against Decree

     The major Italian opera unions CGIL, CISL, UIL and Fials are currently striking against the Reform of Lyrical Foundations signed by Italian head of state Giorgio Napolitano. This reform is a continued effort by the government to restructure and privatize Italian opera houses.
     The involved unions have stated, “the decree improperly affects… the survival of opera houses, attacking and distorting the stability of crucial organic rules of theater operation, and calls into question the right of existence of opera companies.” The theatres set to strike include the National Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome, Maggio Musicale of Florence, Teatro Communale of Bologna, La Scala of Milan, San Carlo of Naples, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Teatro Verdi of Trieste, Petruzzelli Theater in Bari, and many others. The frustration of these strikes are targeted at Sandro Bondi, Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage who read and approved the bill.
     He states, “the strikes by unions announced the cancellation of many major events, although a meeting with social partners was already fixed for Thursday, May 6 and despite the willingness expressed by me in parliament to take account of proposals and suggestions and improvements that will come from parliamentarians and political forces, reveal a lack of respect for the public and an irresponsible attitude in the face of problems that no one can casually ignore."