POST OFFICE; TRAINS; BUSES; TRAMS; COLOSSEUM (NATSOF).




Initials WW/V/CT/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ITALY'S POSTMEN WENT ON STRIKE TODAY (20 OCTOBER), OPENING A WEEK OF PUBLIC-SERVICE STOPPAGES THAT COULD BRING OUT 4,500,000 WORKERS.

WORK WAS HAMPERED IN BANKS AND OFFICES AS LETTERS AND PARCELS PILED UP FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK.

THE NEXT SIX DAYS COULD SEE THE WORST IN A SERIES OF STRIKES AND LABOUR UNREST THAT HAVE PLAGUED THE NATION FOR FIVE WEEKS.

FRIDAY (23 OCTOBER) IS EXPECTED TO BE THE WORST DAY WHEN A NATION-WIDE RAILWAY STRIKE COINCIDES WITH A NATION-WIDE BUS AND TRAM STOPPAGE.

ON TOP OF EVERYTHING, THE NEWSPAPER PRINTING UNIONS ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THERE WILL BE A 24-HOUR STOPPAGE ON THURSDAY (22 OCTOBER), WHICH WILL MEAN NO MORNING OR EVENING NEWSPAPERS THAT DAY.

MORE INCONVENIENCE IS EXPECTED FROM A GENERAL STRIKE PLANNED BY ALL STATE-EMPLOYED WORKERS IN PROTEST AGAINST THE INEFFICIENCY OF THEIR SOCIAL-INSURANCE ORGANISATION.