Strike shuts down Italian public transport

ROME, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Union leaders say an ongoing strike to protest government reforms brought public transport to a halt in most major Italian cities Friday.

The general strike organized by grass-roots union officials caused major traffic delays in cities like Rome as protesters took to the streets to fight a recent series of health budget cuts and school reforms, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Italian Communist Party leader Paolo Ferrero said marches in Rome, Milan and Turin were all indicators that Italian workers strongly opposed the controversial actions.

"The protest's enormous, extraordinary success demonstrates, despite the driving rain, that workers, students and teachers not only have no intention of keeping quiet but they want to continue to battle against a racist, classist government that helps bankers and speculators but does nothing for the general population,'' Ferrero said.

ANSA said nearly 300,000 people gathered in Rome, while Milan saw nearly 50,000 demonstrators gather in Piazzo Duomo.