Strike to affect public and private sector in Italy.

A national general strike scheduled in Italy on Saturday 8 March is set to disrupt the country's education, healthcare and transport sectors, including rail and air travel.

The 24-hour strike, which coincides with International Women's Day, has been called by numerous trade unions to protest over violence and discrimination against women and to support women's rights.

The feminist movement Non Una di Meno has also called for a "transfeminist" strike and boycott on 8 March against "gender-based roles and expectations" and "an increasingly violent and authoritarian social system", with rallies to be held in Rome and Milan.

The strike action on Saturday, backed by the SLAI-COBAS, CUB and USI-CIT trade unions, will affect air transport for the entire day, with the possibility of flight delays and cancellations at airports across the country.

The Italian civil aviation authority ENAC reminds air travellers that during strikes in Italy flights are guaranteed from 07.00-10.00 and 18.00-21.00.

• Strikes in Italy to affect air travel, trains and public transport in March

The industrial action is set to disrupt some Trenitalia, Italo and Trenord train services from 21.00 on Friday 7 March until 21.00 the following day.

There will be guaranteed rail services on Saturday during the busiest commuter times - from 06.00 to 09.00 and from 18.00 to 21.00 - with updated information available on the companies' websites.

Rome airport management company AdR warns that the strike could result in delays or cancellations to rail services to and from Fiumicino airport.

The strike could also affect the opening of public offices as well as catering and cleaning services in kindergartens, schools, hospitals and health facilities, although emergency healthcare will be guaranteed.

Motorway services face disruption from 22.00 on Friday until the same time the next night, however the strike is not expected to affect local public transport services in Italian cities.

For official information about public transport strikes in Italy see the transport ministry website. Photo credit: Sara Sette / Shutterstock.com.