A general strike over austerity measures has shut down air, land and sea transport and hit other public services across Italy.

ITALY’S second austerity package in less than a month was met with a chorus of criticism a day after becoming law, with the largest union threatening a general strike over the “injustice” of the measures.

ITALIAN Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti pledged to meet European Central Bank demands for sweeping economic reforms in exchange for help in shielding Italy from the eurozone debt crisis.

Ministers have approved €24.3bn in budget cuts for 2011-2012 to protect Italy from the market speculation that pushed Greece to the brink of bankruptcy.

Italy’s national airline, Alitalia, might stop flying within a week if unions don’t change course and accept a rescue plan offered by Italian investors, the country’s transport minister said today.

Italy’s three main unions have called a four-hour general strike for November 25 to protest against the 2006 budget proposal of Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s government.

WORKERS at a Fiat factory in southern Italy struck for an eighth straight day yesterday, scuffling with police and prompting a call for a nationwide metalworkers’ strike in solidarity.

After a brief Christmas truce, Italian public transport workers staged another 24-hour strike today in protest at a recent pay deal.

Hundreds of thousands of people, waving red flags and blowing whistles, marched through Rome today to protest government plans to reform Italy’s generous pension system, which economists say can no longer sustain itself.