On August 14, 1980, the strike that would eventually bring an end to communism in Eastern Europe began at dawn. Some 17,000 workers seized control of the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk to protest a recent rise in food prices. They demanded better wages, benefits and the right to organize and strike. Soon they were joined by workers in 20 factories in the area. The Solidarity Movement in Poland was born. Seventeen days later, the worker’s leader, Lech Walesa, announced “We have an independent, self-governing trade union! We have the right to strike!” Poland’s Communist government folded and the first domino against communism fell.
A similar historic event may be underway in Italy – in the northern city of Trieste. Last month, Italy’s government implemented a Green Pass – essentially a vaccine passport. Italians can obtain a Green Pass either by taking the vaccine or testing negative for COVID every two or three days depending on the test. Initially, the requirement applied to restaurants, museums and other public venues. Beginning this Friday, it will apply to all workers – public and private. If an employee does not have a valid Green Pass, he or she will not be allowed to enter the workplace and will not be paid for any missed work. Additionally, if the worker opts for testing, he or she must pay for it.
The Italian government – led by Mario Draghi – claims that the Green Pass is necessary to stop the virus and bring an end to the pandemic. If that were the case, then everyone should submit to regular COVID testing. Data shows that “breakthrough infections” are neither “rare” nor uncommon. Vaccinated persons have the same potential of transmitting the virus as the unvaccinated. If anything, the vaccines have had the insidious effect of creating more asymptomatic spreaders.
Renato Brunetta, Minister of Public Administration, bragged that the real purpose of the Green Pass is to exact a heavy “psychological and monetary cost” on the unvaccinated. The objective, he added, is “to increase the price of not being vaccinated.” The hope is that people will simply throw up their hands and take the vaccine. Never mind, the vaccine does nothing to stop transmission and, thus, cannot end the pandemic. The Italian government just wants people jabbed. Hopefully, Mr. Brunetta’s psychotic rant will come back to haunt him in a Nuremberg style trial.
What makes the Green Pass requirement for workers even more egregious is that it violates the fundamental rights of all Italians. The first sentence in the Italian Constitution is: “L’Italia è una Repubblica democratica, fondata sul lavoro.” (Italy is a democratic republic founded on work.”) Article 1 of the Italian Constitution is rooted in Catholic Church doctrine. “All people have the right to work, to a chance to develop their qualities and their personalities in the exercise of their professions, to equitable remuneration which will enable them and their families to lead a worthy life on the material, social, cultural and spiritual level.” (Octogesima Adveniens). The founders of the Italian republic believed that man can have freedom, independence and dignity only if he is able to work and support himself.
The Trieste protest began on October 11th, when the dockers announced that if one worker was kept from working, everyone would go on strike. “Non entrerà nessuno di noi giorno 15 ottobre, se anche uno solo sarà lasciato fuori perché senza green pass” (None of us will work if only one person is kept out because of not having a Green Pass).
I lavoratori portuali di Trieste:
“Non entrerà nessuno di noi giorno 15 ottobre, se anche uno solo sarà lasciato fuori perché senza green pass”.Come la mettiamo, #Landini?
Sono novax fascisti anche loro?(Via @RadioGenova)#SCIOPEROGENERALE pic.twitter.com/G3tmIQ0eZ0
— Ghita Iacono (@GhitaIacono) October 11, 2021
The Italian government responded by offering free COVID and rapid testing for the dockers – an interesting offer since every attempt in Parliament to amend the legislation to include said items was blocked by the government just a couple of weeks ago. The dockers rejected the offer saying that it would only increase discriminatory practices among workers. They announced that the planned strike will begin on Friday and continue until such time that the Green Pass is abolished, not only for the dockers, but for all categories of workers. “Everyone or no one” is their battle cry.
UPDATE: The answer to the question is: No. The protesters were quickly dispersed by the police using water cannons and tear gas.
The protests were moved to a nearby square and went on for a few more days but without being able to shut down the port, the protests became venting sessions with no impact. In April 2022, the leader of the dockers, Stefan Puzzer, was fired from his job. He appealed his dismissal but thus far the courts have ruled against him.
Why were the Polish strikers successful while Puzzer and his fellow dockers failed? Very simple. Lech Walesa and his Solidarity Movement had backing from the United States and the Catholic Church while the Trieste dockers had no institutional support. It does not matter how just the cause may be, without support from powerful allies, the movement will fizzle out. The myth that common people can carry out a successful movement on their own… well, it is just a myth as the dockers in Trieste have shown.
