The trade union movement is strong at worker level. Union membership is not obligatory. The major trade unions and their political affiliations are the following:
CISL Christian Democrat (centre);
CGIL Communist and Socialist (left wing);
UIL Socialist Republican (centre left);
CISNAL Italian Social Movement (right wing).
The three most representative trade union organisations (CGIL, CISL, UIL) were grouped into a unitary confederation in order to seek common objectives in the interests of all workers.
There are also trade unions formed on the basis of an industry or sector of economic activity. Strikes may be called by labour unions, general trade unions, sector unions or in-company unions. An industry-wide strike can be applied to a company which has agreed to workers' claims in respect of certain demands, if other companies within the same industry have not agreed to those demands. The metalworkers' union is particularly powerful.
During the last few years, many autonomous trade unions have acquired a higher level of contractual power, especially in the key services sectors (health, transport, schools) and, due to the explicit constitutional regulation of the right to strike, have sometimes caused inconvenience to the users, i.e. Italian citizens.
EU – European Commission DG EMPL/A/2 J
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