Union reacts to proposed changes to rules affecting strikes.

A national 24-hour train strike that would have affected rail services across Italy this weekend has been called off, the USB trade union said on Thursday.

The strike was scheduled from 21.00 on Saturday until the same time the next evening, and was set to impact regional and long-distance services operated by Trenitalia and Italo as well as Trenord services in the northern Lombardia region.

The fact that the strike was scheduled at the weekend meant that train services would not have been guaranteed during rush-hour periods, as per the usual weekday regulations.

The rules guaranteeing services during strikes were the result of agreements between trade unions and a government agency called the Commissione di Garanzia Sciopero.

The USB said it cancelled this weekend's walkout after "the Commissione issued a provisional resolution with which, between the introduction of guaranteed times on holidays and an increase in guaranteed medium/long-distance trains, it has further restricted the right to strike."

In a strongly worded statement, the union accused the strike watchdog of "no longer playing the role of moderator between different constitutional rights, those of strike and circulation; it has become clear, by now, that it has been reduced to a guardian of employers' interests."

Slamming the commission's "illegitimate and late intervention", the union said it would postpone this weekend's strike until 18 March.

In the meantime, commuters in cities across Italy face disruption to local public transport services on Monday 24 February due to a nationwide 24-hour strike.

For official information about public transport strikes in Italy see the transport ministry website.

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