Around 6,000 members of Italy's armed forces and security services marched through Rome on Saturday, demanding higher pay, better pensions, and stronger workplace protections. This demonstration marked the first joint protest organized by the country's main defense and security unions, bringing together representatives from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza.
The protest was organized after several unions, including Sinafi, the New Carabinieri Union (NSC), Usami Aeronautica, Itamil, and Silmm, refused to sign a recent agreement. They argued that the proposed measures did not adequately address their concerns regarding pay and retirement, prompting them to press the government for further action.
Marching under the slogan, "Every day we serve Italy. Today we demand respect," protesters carried banners through the streets of Rome. Ahead of the rally, the unions issued a statement outlining four key demands: reform of the supplementary pension system, an end to plans to raise the retirement age to 65, stronger legal protections for security personnel, pay increases that keep pace with the rising cost of living, and greater investment in recruitment, training, and modernizing the profession.
The demonstration concluded with a conference focused on the future of Italy's security, defense, and emergency services. Representatives from several unions, including the New Carabinieri Union (NSC), which had rejected the new pay agreement, attended the event.
Massimiliano Zetti, secretary-general of the NSC, articulated the reasons for their stance, stating, "The reasons why we did not sign this agreement and rejected it are simple: what we were supposed to receive from an economic point of view has not been delivered." He emphasized the human element behind the uniforms, adding, "Because inside those uniforms working for the state, under the state’s emblem, there are not silhouettes, there are families, there are people, women and men who work. It is only right that they should be paid fairly. Security has a cost."
While such protests by armed forces and law enforcement personnel are uncommon, similar demonstrations have occurred in several other EU countries in recent years. In Italy, police unions organized protests in 2023, seeking more funding for pay raises, salary increases aligned with inflation, and additional recruitment to address staff shortages.
Elsewhere in Europe, French police unions staged strikes and pickets in early 2024, calling for bonuses and guarantees on shifts and leave in anticipation of the Paris Olympics, which necessitated a significant security operation. In Spain, the Jusapol union repeatedly protested in 2024, advocating for pay parity between National Police and Guardia Civil officers and regional forces like Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra. Some Spanish police unions also opposed the government's Catalan amnesty law in late 2023. Belgian police unions similarly organized protests in 2022 and 2023, employing tactics such as "white strikes," roadblocks, and a temporary refusal to issue fines for minor offenses, with some actions disrupting access to Brussels Airport.
