Strike in Italy may affect U.S.

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Strike in Italy may affect U.S.
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, December 12, 2007

An Italian truck drivers strike could seriously affect U.S. personnel serving in Italy — from gas stations that are running dry at the pumps to major traffic jams and delays in delivery of groceries.

On Monday, the truck drivers began a five-day strike to protest high fuel costs, halting deliveries of key commercial goods — such as fuel — and protesting along highways. The protests led to massive traffic tie-ups, according to Italian news reports.

But late Tuesday, the Transport Ministry ordered an end to the strike, and ordered truckers back to work by midnight citing “the fundamental rights of citizens,” the Apcom news agency reported. New talks were set for Dec. 20.

The strike affected traffic around the Capodichino and support site bases, and Navy officials warned base personnel late Tuesday about possible heavy traffic.

Already by Tuesday morning, 60 percent of gas stations throughout the country reported having no fuel, according to the AGI news service. There are no gas stations on military bases in Italy for personal use by U.S. and NATO servicemembers and their families.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50920