Italy: hauliers stop work in Sicily and Calabria from 16 to 20 October

The official strike register of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport lists two stoppages of road freight transport for hire or reward in the same week. Both last 120 hours: from 00:01 on Friday, 16 October, to 24:00 on Tuesday, 20 October.

Sicily

Called by the Comitato Trasporto Siciliano and registered on 28 September. According to its coordinator, Salvatore Bella, quoted by trans.info, hauliers will keep their trucks in the yards and will not collect semi-trailers from the island’s ports. No convoys or road blockades have been announced.

Calabria

Called by Fedralog Calabria, for its member companies only, and registered on 1 October. On 7 October, after a meeting with the Region in Catanzaro that ended only with the creation of a technical working group, Fedralog confirmed the stoppage and spoke of a “total blockade of vehicles” (Corriere della Calabria). The association says the stoppage may spread to other regions.

Why they are stopping

• Diesel above €2.40 per litre.
• The first annual payment of the Sea Modal Shift, the Italian incentive for shipping trucks by sea, has not been paid. It was due by June.

What to do if you have a load for southern Italy that week

• Loads to or from Sicily and Calabria between 16 and 20 October may not be collected or delivered. Check with the customer and the freight forwarder before loading.
• Anyone sending unaccompanied semi-trailers by Ro-Ro to Sicilian ports should expect them to sit on the quay until the 21st.
• This is not a road closure: it is a stoppage by companies. No blockades have been announced.
• On Sunday, 18 October, the usual Sunday ban in Italy applies (driving bans in Italy).