In case you hadn't noticed, the wave of strikes by airline and railroad workers that has hit Spain, Portugal, Germany, the UK and France this summer, sometimes more than once, has given Italy a pass.
And there's a reason: Despite a reputation for revolving governments and puzzling politics, one thing Italy's parties managed to agree on at one time or another was a law that sets aside certain periods when workers in certain industries can't legally strike.
The "franchigia estiva" or summer exemption, blanks out July 27 to September 5 for the airline and other travel industries, a measure designed not to put the country's biggest tourism season in jeopardy, although it is a period when strikes might have their greatest effectiveness. Also banned are December 18th to January 7th, and the three days before and three days after a national, regional or European election. Italy will have a national election on September 25.
The lack of strikes, of course, hasn't exempted Italy from some of the summer chaos of baggage issues and flight cancellations and delays.
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