The concept of a strike has firmly entered our lives. Abroad, this kind of social conflict is not something new; rather, it is an effective way to solve urgent problems for workers in a certain field of activity. We can say that a strike is a refusal to work for the owner, a protest against exploitation. The weapon is effective, but more often shuts down an entire industry than causing significant economic damage.

In 1904, after the strike of the Italian railway workers, the world learned about a new form of protest - the Italian strike.

origins

So, the Italians, represented by railway workers, opened up to the world a new type of strike, which does not completely paralyze the industry, but only slows down its work. Thus, a careless attitude to work, a snail's course of action leads to low profitability of the industry, which forces management to reconsider relations with hired personnel. Such an Italian strike is difficult to suppress, it is, as it were, hidden and does not give rise to the use of force to stop it. The method of combating exploitation in this way was called the “cold strike” and, in honor of its founders, it became known as the “Italian strike”.

The new type of protest was quickly adopted by workers from other countries. Subsequently, a careless attitude to one's duties and work in general began to be called nothing more than an "Italian strike." This also applies to family relationships between children and parents. However, in general, the Italian strike is a collective protest aimed at putting pressure on a person or a group of people on whom, one way or another, the outcome of the decision taken regarding the issue that has arisen among the workers depends.

Features of strikes

Protests have always happened since ancient times. The issue of suppressing uprisings has always been relevant for the authorities. Over time, they tried to introduce strikes into the framework of the law. A strike (Italian is no exception) is a temporary suspension of one's duties. Its peculiarity is that, as a rule, the lower classes protest. For Russia, however, this rule does not always work, since Russian strikes are often provoked by the governing bodies. But even here the lower classes are on strike. The goal is to relieve tension in the lower layers of the industry and resolve conflicts.

An important point is a way for hired workers to speak out to their employer within the framework of the law on sore points. Unfortunately, the culture of holding protests is often at a low level. Therefore, there are frequent cases of conflicts flaring up, blowing them up and turning into a “wild”, uncontrolled state of the protesters. Managers at enterprises can spend no more than ¼ of their time on resolving various conflicts. Therefore, the issue of resolving public disputes is of increasing interest on the part of administrative bodies. Particular attention, of course, is devoted to strikes, which carry aggressiveness and the danger of various kinds of destruction.

Conflict "in Italian" in Russia

The Italian strike is characterized by the absence of an aggressive component. There are enough examples of this type of protest, they are even mentioned in the literature. This is especially vividly described in the work of Paustovsky "The Tale of Life" (1954), which tells about a continuous strike at the factory, when work was sluggish and dull, so that in two months only a frame for the press was assembled.

In Russia, the Italian type of protest is gaining momentum and yielding results. In 2015, there was a truckers' strike against the introduction of a fee for driving on a federal highway with a car weighing 12 tons or more. Cars blocked traffic, slowing down to 10 km/h, parked en masse along highways, etc. It continued in 2016 and in March 2017. Unfortunately, the strike escalated into a sharp conflict, in which one person even died and three were injured.

Unauthorized rallies began to take place all over Russia. The reaction of the authorities, which was caused by the truckers' strike, was relatively restrained, devoid of excessive tragedy. It was associated with America's attempt to disrupt Russian statehood with acts of sabotage, etc. Subsequently, the website page for the protest movement was blocked. Opposition forces and businesses came out in support of the truckers. The Communists appealed to the Constitutional Court with a request about the inconsistency of the fee with the Constitution of the Russian Federation. This request was granted in part. Truckers, in turn, forced to freeze fines. The state budget suffered losses. However, in Russia, for the first time in a short time, it was possible with the help of a strike to force officials to react quickly.

Social conflicts in Vsevolzhsk and on the Apennine Peninsula

The Italian strike as a protest took place in the seaports of St. Petersburg, Novorossiysk, at the Ford plant in Vsevolozhsk, and at many other enterprises.

During the Ford strike, 15-20 cars were produced less than usual per day, this caused a significant loss to the enterprise. Gradually, people came to understand that the collective consciousness has leverage over the authorities and can improve the conditions of labor exploitation.

Protests can also be violent. An example of this is the Italian truckers who were on strike in the Apennine Peninsula. They blocked all the leading transport routes, which paralyzed the country for a long period. The damage was high, and the state was forced to meet the demands of the strikers.

Protests in Moscow

It's not just the workers who are on strike. The intelligentsia, students, housewives and other categories of society are on strike. For example, in 2015, an Italian doctors' strike took place in Moscow, which, although it was not very tangible across the country and even the capital, caused quite a strong response. The hospital was practically without medical care, although not all doctors went on strike. As a result, doctors have achieved the desired result.

Japanese in Italian

The Italian strike "in Japanese style" can be called interesting. For us, this kind of protest is unusual, but for the Japanese it is normal and correct. They warn the employer a month in advance and offer him to compromise. If the demands were not satisfied, then on the appointed day the strike begins. On the uniforms of Japanese workers, you can see an icon that defines the theme and purpose of the protest.

How to deal with such phenomena as protests?

Many experts interpret the term "Italian strike", which is synonymous with "strike" or even more radical - "obstruction" (disruption), as a violation of the normal course of development of the economic process and a direct threat of damage to the state budget. We must not allow such methods of solving urgent problems to become widespread. Of all the methods of dealing with frequent strikes "in Italian" none shows good results. The best thing that can be done to the governing bodies of an enterprise is to promise a solution to the problem, listen and try to find a way out calmly, without any kind of pressure or ignoring.

Interestingly, despite the fact that any workflow is regulated by a whole bunch of documents and instructions. Their strict observance by all employees, oddly enough, leads to huge economic losses for the company as a whole. And "work according to the rules", that is, the purposeful observance of the code and instructions by employees of enterprises is commonly called Italian strike.

An ordinary strike is a termination of work by employees of the enterprise in order to fulfill their requirements by the employer. That is, in fact, it is an ordinary blackmail. The difference between the Italian strike is that it implies the strict implementation by the employees of the organization of all job descriptions and rules, without violating them in absolutely anything. This, coupled with the bureaucratic nature of job descriptions and the inability to take into account all the nuances of production activities, leads to a significant decline in productivity and leads to losses for the enterprise.

The term “Italian strike” began to be used after 1904, when in Italy (according to various sources) police, railway workers or airline employees began to work strictly according to the instructions in order to achieve an increase in wages, thereby provoking failures in a well-established system.

Subsequently, this civilized way of dealing with superiors began to spread in other countries, including Russia. So, back in July 1907, the Russkoye Slovo newspaper reported: “An “Italian” strike is being carried out on the St. Petersburg-Warsaw railway, which consists in strict adherence to instructions during the production of maneuvers, due to which trains are late and many are canceled.”

More than a century has passed since then, and this form of protest is still used by employees of enterprises to fight the company's management. Wherein Italian strike- a very effective method of influencing the employer. It is difficult to fight against it with the help of anti-strike laws, and it is almost impossible to bring the initiators to justice, since formally they act in strict accordance with the Labor Code.

How to conduct an Italian strike?

1. Accurately observe the rules of internal labor regulations.

2. Require a real safety briefing where it is provided, and not just put a signature in the familiarization log.

3. Strictly comply with the established labor standards, in no case exceeding them.

4. In the absence of equipment, tools, technical documentation and other means necessary for the performance of work duties by the employee, immediately inform the employer about this. If due to the lack of this equipment, tools, technical documentation, etc. it is impossible for the employee to fulfill his labor duties, it is also necessary to notify the employer of the start of downtime due to the fault of the employer.

5. If the employee is not provided with personal and collective protective equipment in accordance with established standards, it is necessary to notify the employer of the start of downtime due to his fault.

6. If the instructions indicate that the employee is obliged to clean up the workplace at the end of work (or keep the workplace clean) - clean up the workplace not after the end of the working day, but 5 minutes before the end of the working day, since this is the responsibility of the employee which he is obliged to fulfill within the prescribed time.
7. Perform only that work and observe only those labor duties that are provided for by his labor (official) duties, with which the employee is familiar.

8. Refuse to work on weekends and holidays and overtime work (Article 99 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). In this case, it must be remembered that it is possible to involve an employee in work on holidays and overtime without his consent only in cases specified by law.

Compliance with these rules will not give the employer the opportunity to discipline you, since everything is carried out according to the law.

The type of strike that is called the Italian strike does not imply a complete suspension of work. The strikers perform duties in compliance with all instructions, which greatly increases the time. How the courts treat such actions and what consequences the strike entails for the company.

To fight for their rights, workers use different methods. One of them is the suspension of activities. The law defines the concept of a strike: it is a temporary voluntary refusal of workers from work in order to resolve a collective labor dispute ().

There are situations when, formally, an employee does not refuse duties, but efficiency and speed lose to normal performance. It is difficult to find fault if the employee fits into the standards and does not violate the routine. This method of strike is called Italian: consider what it is and how employees use it.

What is an Italian strike

The legislation does not contain the concept of "Italian strike". The term is rarely found in judicial acts. It is believed that this method of fighting for rights got its name from the name of the country where it was first used.

The Italian strike is work strictly according to established norms and rules. It often takes time to follow multiple directions. If in normal mode some of the instructions are not followed in order to speed up the work process and increase its efficiency, then in the event of such a strike, on the contrary, workers scrupulously follow all the instructions. As a result, the execution of tasks is delayed.

The Italian method of strike is used by employees of large organizations. For example, transport companies, enterprises in the field of air or railway transportation, etc. For the employer, acting on instructions threatens to lag behind in the work process, losses and other negative consequences.

How the strike “in Italian” is used in Russia

In Russia, this method is known, although it is rare. This happens because most often the duties in job descriptions are of a general nature. Complicated procedures, in respect of which the Italian strike will have an effect, are found in the work of tellers or other personnel. Detailing is present when, for example, there are automated programs for recording working hours, filling out documents, or other ways of fixing the process and result.

Two examples of such a strike in the Russian Federation are the actions of the workers of the Ford plant in St. Petersburg. They first applied the method in 2005. The reason was the payment rules. To bring about change, the union made demands and promised to start an indefinite strike. The trade union announced such a strike again in April 2019.

What will the employer face if his employees start an Italian strike

Italian strikes are usually initiated by the union. Workers sabotage or deliberately slow down the work process after the employer has refused to comply with their demands. Such ways to assert rights turn into problems for the employer.

First, it is difficult to prove the fact of a strike, since the work is going on. Practice shows that dismissal due to sabotage is difficult. The employee can demand reinstatement at work through the court if the company does not prove the grounds for terminating the employment contract (decision of the Krasnoperekopsky District Court of the Republic of Crimea No. 2-1431/2016 ~ M-1307/2016 dated 10/10/2016).

Secondly, it is difficult to bring to justice those who participate in the Italian strike. For example, a budgetary health care institution went to court. The society asked to declare the strike illegal. The applicant addressed the claim to the primary trade union organization of healthcare workers in the city. The plaintiff believed that the strike violated the provisions of the law (Chapter 61 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). The applicant indicated that he had previously received a collective appeal from a group of district doctors and nurses about violations of their labor rights. The reason for the letter was an order that changed the assessment of labor and the procedure for calculating incentive payments. The employees demanded that the review be banned and that the funds be sent to them before the deadline specified in the letter.

The message was sent by the chairman of the primary trade union organization of health workers. He warned that on the basis of the decision of the trade union, “work will be carried out in compliance with all standards, with the maximum consideration of the interests of each child who has received an appointment, within the hours established by law and the work schedule of the institution.” The workers planned to follow the instructions, punctually comply with all norms and rules. They were going to spend not the usual 5-6 minutes on patients, but the required 13-20 minutes according to the standards. Employees planned to exclude work at the expense of personal time. The court dismissed the claim. It considered that the applicant had failed to provide evidence of organizing and declaring a strike in children's clinics. Since there is no suspension of work, there is no dispute (decision of the Supreme Court of the Udmurt Republic dated April 10, 2013 in case No. 3-22/2013 dated October 25, 2016).

Italian strike rules

• Scrupulous observance by employees of the internal labor regulations
• Requirement for actual safety briefing
• Strict compliance with production standards
• In the absence of the tools necessary for work, notify the employer about the start of downtime
• If the employee does not have the personal protective equipment specified in the rules, stop work with a warning to the authorities about the start of downtime
• Perform only the work specified in the job description
• Refuse to work on weekends and holidays and overtime work

The most important feature of the Italian strike is the inability of the administration to punish its participants in any way.

Italian strike. Start

According to various sources (including Wikipedia), this kind of protest action was first held either in 1904 or in 1905 in Italy.
Railway workers, who demanded from the authorities the opportunity to strike legally, began to punctually observe the complex railway regulations to the smallest detail, which caused a significant slowdown in work.

An example of an Italian strike

Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, carrying out border control at the airport. Ben-Gurion staged the night of March 3, 2015 "Italian strike", that is, they worked in strict accordance with the rules. This resulted in slow checks and huge queues.
The reason for the strike was the dissatisfaction of employees with working conditions. To avoid complete paralysis in the work of the airport, its leadership ordered Israeli citizens to pass without checking. Foreigners had to stand in lines.

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definition - Italian strike

Italian strike

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Italian strike- also called obstruction - a form of protest along with a strike and sabotage, which consists in the extremely strict performance by the employees of the enterprise of their duties and rules, not stepping back from them and not going beyond them. Sometimes the Italian strike is called work according to the rules(eng. work-to-rule).

This method of strike struggle is very effective, since it is practically impossible to work strictly according to the instructions, and, coupled with the bureaucratic nature of job descriptions and the inability to take into account all the nuances of production activities, this form of protest leads to a significant decline in productivity and, accordingly, to large losses for the enterprise. At the same time, it is difficult to fight the Italian strike with the help of anti-strike laws, and it is almost impossible to bring the initiators to justice, since formally they act in strict accordance with the Labor Code.

Strikers during a strike may not necessarily comply with all, but only some of the rules. Defiantly sloppy work is sometimes also called an Italian strike. Some experts call such a strike a civilized method of expressing their dissatisfaction.

For the first time, such a struggle for one's rights began to be applied in Italy (hence the name) at the beginning of the 20th century. According to some reports, these were Italian pilots who, fighting for their rights, agreed to do everything strictly according to the instructions. As a result, the number of flights has been significantly reduced. According to other sources, for the first time the Italian strike was used by the Italian police. One of the sites reports that for the first time such a strike actually took place in Italy in 1904 with railway workers.

In Russia, the term "Italian strike" has been known since at least the beginning of the 20th century. For example, the newspaper "Russian Word" in the issue of July 22 (09), 1907 reports:

On the St. Petersburg-Warsaw railway, an "Italian" strike is being carried out, which consists in strict adherence to instructions during the production of maneuvers, due to which trains are late and many are canceled.

An Italian strike is sometimes also (inaccurately) referred to as a refusal to leave a job despite an employer's order.

In domestic literature, the Italian strike is described in Dmitry Dmitrievich Nagishkin's novel "The Heart of Bonivur": during the Japanese intervention in the Far East, the workers decide to pull the "Italian bagpipes":

The controller bounced off the riveter.
- Are you Italian?
- Italian is better than Japanese!
The controller darted around in his area. He saw that the lesson had hardly progressed since the morning, despite the outward impression of hard work. The senior controller ran to the office.

Japanese strike

In Japan, a similar form of protest is common - the so-called "Japanese strike". Employees warn the employer about it a month in advance. During the strike, everyone works according to the rules, while details (inscriptions, symbols) are used in clothes that speak of the demands put forward or simply about the very fact of a disagreement with the employer.