On November 28 Italy experienced one of the most significant days of protest in recent months. Trains, subways, buses, planes, schools, healthcare and public services recorded stoppages and severe slowdowns, while thousands of workers joined the general strike called by various trade union organizations.
For millions of people it was a complicated day, but behind the disruptions there were clear demands.
Why was there a strike? The deep causes of the protest
The strike did not come out of the blue. It grew from a set of social, economic and labor tensions that have been building for years.
Among the main motivations:
Insufficient wages and growing precarity
Many workers complain of contracts frozen for years, wages that do not keep pace with inflation and increasingly unstable working conditions.
Cuts to welfare and underfunding of public services
From transport to schools, from healthcare to infrastructure: according to unions, service quality continues to decline while structural investments and adequate hiring are lacking.
Increase in military spending at the expense of social services
A significant portion of the protests concerned the government’s decision to increase investment in the military sector, which in effect reduces funding for education, health, transport and social policies.
Inequalities and social insecurity
The strike brought back into the debate issues such as in-work poverty, the growing gap between wages and the cost of living, and the demand for a new social pact that guarantees dignity and stability.
What does the strike tell us from an ESG perspective?
The public transport strike was not just a service interruption — it was a stress test that shows how central ESG issues are in our cities and organizations.
Environmental (E)
The November 28 event highlighted the need to expand and diversify sustainable mobility options. Dependence on private cars, which emerged during the public transport stoppages, indicates that more robust and easily accessible alternatives are needed.
Investing in micromobility, cycling infrastructure, organized carpooling and shared mobility systems would make the transport network more resilient, especially during extraordinary situations such as strikes or service interruptions.
In this sense, the transition to low-emission transport concerns not only everyday life but also cities’ ability to guarantee continuity, flexibility and reduced environmental impact in every scenario.
Social (S)
November 28 put front and center social issues that often remain in the background:
- fragile working conditions, including inadequate pay, heavy shifts and perceived lack of protection;
- the importance of essential services for quality of life, social inclusion and equity;
- greater vulnerability of certain groups, such as students, the elderly, shift workers and people without alternative means of transport.
What emerges, beyond daily inconvenience, is that social sustainability cannot be separated from the wellbeing of workers nor from reliable, fair and accessible public services. People’s wellbeing is a real, measurable and decisive ESG indicator: when it stops, a part of the country stops.
Governance (G)
The strike was above all a test for public and private governance.
It showed the need for a stronger institutional dialogue, capable of preventing conflicts and building long-term solutions.
It highlighted the value of more robust corporate and public welfare policies oriented toward safety, stability and quality of work in essential services.
It also served as a governance test for companies: those with clear procedures, business continuity plans and effective internal communication faced the impact with less disorientation among employees.
From an ESG perspective, governance is what allows a service disruption to be transformed into a lesson about responsibility, planning and risk management.
What solutions can companies adopt?
The November 28 strike was also a warning bell for businesses: operational continuity and employee wellbeing increasingly depend on flexible models. Here are some sustainable strategies:
Structured smart working
Not only for emergencies: clear protocols for remote work and autonomous management of mobility reduce stress and absences.
Sustainable corporate mobility
Internal carpooling, company shuttles, incentives for e-bikes and e-scooters, public transport subscriptions with alternative solutions in case of strikes.
Support for staff
Special leave during strikes, help for employees with children, timely communications and dedicated channels for staff.
ESG-oriented governance
Monitor the social and environmental impact of interruptions, integrate corporate welfare policies into ESG strategies and promote a dignified, stable and well-organized work environment.
Conclusion: a stoppage that raises important questions
The November 28 strike created real disruption, but it put issues on the table that can no longer be postponed: dignified work, adequate public services, a solid welfare system, structural investments and governance that truly listens to society’s needs. For companies, it was an opportunity to test their resilience and rethink work and mobility models that are more modern, inclusive and sustainable.