Italians march in Rome to protest against record unemployment

PanARMENIAN.Net - Thousands of workers and unemployed people marched in Rome on Saturday, June 22, to protest against record unemployment and call on Enrico Letta's two-month-old government to deliver more than empty rhetoric on the issue, Reuters reported.

The rally, organized by the country's three largest union confederations, CGIL, CISL and UIL, was the first major protest since Letta's broad, left-right coalition took office following an inconclusive election in February.

Italian unemployment hit 12 percent in April, the highest level on record, and joblessness among people under 24 is at an all-time high above 40 percent.

Union chiefs, speaking before a flag-waving crowd estimated at more than 100,000 by the organizers, criticized Letta for what they called a lack of action on an urgent problem.

Luigi Angeletti, head of the UIL, said the country could not afford the piecemeal approach to policy adopted so far, especially when the ruling coalition is so fragile.

Letta's cabinet is due to unveil a package aimed at tackling youth unemployment next week, but Angeletti said the measures being mooted, such as tax breaks for firms hiring young people, were "useless".

Italy's economy has contracted in every quarter since mid-2011 - its longest post-war recession - and companies are steadily shedding staff.

The unionists called on the government to intervene to prevent plans by white goods maker Indesit to lay off 1,400 workers in one of the most recent labor disputes.