Strike Leads to Cancelling 50% of Train Trips in Italy Amid Severe Heat Wave

Italy lived a chaotic day after a major strike on long-distance trains across the country, which led to the cancellation of half of the flights, and thousands of citizens were waiting amid a great rise in temperatures, according to the Italian newspaper, “The Journal”.

The Italian newspaper pointed out that the Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, intervened to reduce the intensity of the protests after they led to chaos with the cancellation of flights, which led to the waiting of dozens of tourists and travelers in Italy.

Understaffing, excessive overtime, low wages, and poor working conditions were condemned by railway unions.

Government-run Trenitalia warned of a "significant impact" from partial or total cancellations of railways and high-speed trains and said delays would continue beyond the end of the strike.

"Leaving thousands of Italians stranded in 35-degree temperatures is unimaginable," Salvini said, vowing to facilitate a meeting between companies and unions "to satisfy Italian railway workers, but without leaving hundreds of thousands stranded."