ITALIAN UNIONS BARK, BUT SHOULDN'T BITE, ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000928

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/PRA, EUR/WE, PM/ISP AND DRL/IL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR ELAB PREL ELAB PREL IT ITMARR FORCES IN ITALY
SUBJECT: ITALIAN UNIONS BARK, BUT SHOULDN'T BITE, ON
MILITARY TRANSHIPMENTS

REF: A)ROME 842 (NOTAL) B)ROME 810 C)MILAN 133 D)MILAN 142


1. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
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SUMMARY
--------------


2. (SBU) ITALY'S LABOR UNIONS ARE GETTING A LOT OF PRESS FOR
THEIR ROLE IN DISRUPTING TRANSHIPMENT OF U.S. MILITARY
EQUIPMENT AND CARGO, BUT THE REAL HEADLINE IS THAT THEY'RE
NOT THE MOST OBSTRUCTIVE, OR DANGEROUS, OBSTACLE. ITALIAN
LABOR SHOULD EXPRESS ITS OPPOSITION TO U.S. MILITARY
PLANNING AND ACTION WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED SYSTEM OF RULES
AND BEHAVIOR GOVERNED BY LABOR LAW AND ACCEPTED CONVENTION.
UNIONS WILL STAGE SYMBOLIC STRIKES AND REFUSE TO HANDLE U.S.
MILITARY CARGO. THEY SHOULDN'T ILLEGALLY BLOCK PORT
ENTRANCES OR TRY TO PREVENT CARGO FROM MOVING FROM CAMP
DARBY TO THE PORT OF LIVORNO (THOUGH THE LARGEST UNION IS
STRETCHING THE LIMITS BY COORDINATING WITH LESS SCRUPULOUS
PROTESTORS). LABOR HAS BEEN AVOIDING OUR CALLS, BUT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO UNDERSCORE OUR HOPE THAT THEY WILL AVOID THE
KIND OF CONFRONTATIONAL TACTICS THAT COULD LEAD TO VIOLENCE.
BY EXTENSION, ITALIAN LABOR SHOULD POSE ONLY SYMBOLIC,
MINIMAL DISRUPTIONS TO U.S. MILITARY OPERATIONS FROM BASES
IN ITALY IF WE DECIDE TO PURSUE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST
IRAQ. OTHER OPPONENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE DRAWN FROM THE ANTI-
GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT, MAY ATTEMPT MORE CONFRONTATIONAL,
DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS (SEPTEL). END SUMMARY


3. (SBU) ITALIAN UNIONS, NEVER SHRINKING VIOLETS, HAVE
FIGURED PROMINENTLY OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN PROTESTS
AGAINST TRANSHIPMENT OF U.S. MATERIEL AND OTHER MILITARY
CARGO IN NORTHERN ITALY. UNIONIZED FREIGHT ENGINEERS
REPORTEDLY ALERTED ANTI-WAR PROTESTORS TO IMPENDING CARGO
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PAGE 03 ROME 00928 01 OF 02 061453Z
CONVOYS FROM SETAF IN VINCENZA, ENABLING THEM TO DELAY
SHIPMENTS ON FEBRUARY 21 (REFTELS). UNION OFFICIALS ALSO
HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR MEMBERS WILL NOT HANDLE U.S. MILITARY
CARGO IN ITALIAN PORTS, INCLUDING LIVORNO (WHERE VEHICLES,
EQUIPMENT, AMMUNITION AND OTHER CARGO CURRENTLY LOCATED AT
CAMP DARBY WILL BE LOADED FOR SHIPMENT TO SW ASIA). THE
TRADE UNIONISTS' NOISY ACTIVISM COULD SUGGEST THAT ITALIAN
UNIONS WOULD BE AT THE CENTER OF ANY AND ALL EFFORTS TO
IMPEDE OR BLOCK EQUIPMENT SHIPMENTS OR DISRUPT OPERATIONS ON
BASES FROM WHICH U.S. FORCES OPERATE. WE BELIEVE THAT
OVERSTATES THE CASE. UNION ANTIWAR ACTIVITY SHOULD POSE
ONLY LIMITED PRACTICAL OBSTACLES FOR U.S. MILITARY CARGO
SHIPMENTS AND OTHER SUPPORT OPERATIONS.


4. (U) THE POTENTIAL WAR IN IRAQ IS ONLY THE LATEST ISSUE
DIVIDING ITALY'S THREE MAJOR LABOR CONFEDERATIONS. THERE IS
SUBSTANTIAL OVERLAP BETWEEN THE CONFEDERATIONS' POSITIONS.
THEIR DIFFERENCES ARE SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH, HOWEVER, TO
PREVENT THEM FROM PURSUING THE TYPES OF COORDINATED PROTESTS
THAT MIGHT REALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR US AND FOR THE
BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT.


5. (SBU) THE TWO LARGEST TRADE UNION CONFEDERATIONS OPPOSE
ANY USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ, THOUGH FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
ITALY'S LARGEST (5.4 MILLION MEMBERS),MOST-LEFTIST
CONFEDERATION, THE GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF ITALIAN LABOR
(CGIL) HAS SHOWN THE MOST FERVOR IN OPPOSING U.S. POLICY AND
PREPARATIONS. WITH 75% OF DOCKWORKERS AMONG ITS MEMBERSHIP,
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT UNION IN THIS CONTEXT. CGIL'S
HISTORICALLY CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH ITALY'S COMMUNIST PARTY
MAKES MOST OF ITS MEMBERSHIP IDEOLOGICALLY PREDISPOSED TO
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PAGE 04 ROME 00928 01 OF 02 061453Z
OPPOSE ALMOST ANY USE OF FORCE BY THE U.S. MOREOVER, CGIL
HAS THE MOST NAKEDLY POLITICAL OBJECTIVES OF THE THREE
CONFEDERATIONS, ESCHEWING DISCUSSIONS AND ANY FORM OF
COMPROMISE WITH THE BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT - ON ANY ISSUE -
IN FAVOR OF CONFRONTATION. IN THAT CONTEXT, ITS STRIDENT
ANTIWAR POSITION REFLECTS ITS DESIRE TO INFLICT THE HIGHEST
POSSIBLE POLITICAL COSTS ON THE BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT FOR
ITS DECISION TO SUPPORT THE U.S. (COMMENT: IT'S AN APPROACH
THAT REFLECTS EX-LEADER COFERATTI'S HOPE TO JOIN EU
COMMISSION PRESIDENT PRODI IN A TICKET TO LEAD THE LEFT IN
THE NEXT NATIONAL ELECTIONS - AND ONE SHARED BY ITALY'S
OPPOSITION MORE BROADLY. POTENTIAL MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ
IS JUST THE LATEST ISSUE BY WHICH THE FRACTIOUS OPPOSITION
PARTIES SEEK TO WEAKEN THE BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT. THE CENTER-
LEFT HAS BEEN ABLE TO ALIGN ITSELF WITH A STRONG MAJORITY OF
ITALIANS OPPOSING WAR, BUYING IT AT LEAST SOME SHORT-TERM
POLITICAL GAINS.)


6. (SBU) THE STRONG CATHOLIC ROOTS OF THE SECOND-LARGEST (4
MILLION) CONFEDERATION, THE ITALIAN CONFEDERATION OF LABOR
UNIONS (CISL) PRESAGE ITS STAUNCH ANTIWAR POSITION. AS
STRONG "CULTURAL CATHOLICS," ITS MEMBERS AND LEADERSHIP PAY

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UNCLASSIFIED PTQ7920

PAGE 01 ROME 00928 02 OF 02 061453Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00
EAP-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01
VCE-00 NSAE-00 PM-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SS-00 TEST-00
EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/002W
-------------- 4024A0 061455Z /38
R 061352Z MAR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8601
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL NAPLES

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000928

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/PRA, EUR/WE, PM/ISP AND DRL/IL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR ELAB PREL ELAB PREL IT ITMARR FORCES IN ITALY
SUBJECT: ITALIAN UNIONS BARK, BUT SHOULDN'T BITE, ON
MILITARY TRANSHIPMENTS

CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE CHURCH'S POSITION ON INTERNATIONAL
ISSUES, AND THEY OPPOSE CONFLICT - AND CONFLICT IN IRAQ -
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PAGE 02 ROME 00928 02 OF 02 061453Z
FOR VIRTUALLY ANY REASON (NATO'S ACTION AGAINST THE FRY
BEING A NOTABLE EXCEPTION). BUT THE CHURCH'S STRONG EMPHASIS
ON ORDER, HIERARCHY AND SOCIAL COMITY MEANS CISL ALSO IS
RELUCTANT TO ENGAGE IN CONFRONTATIONAL TACTICS OR ILLEGAL
ACTION. (COMMENT: MEMBERS OF THIS CATHOLIC-AFFILIATED
UNION NONETHELESS MAY RESORT TO CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TACTICS
DURING ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATIONS THAT WOULD FOLLOW USE OF
FORCE AGAINST IRAQ).


7. (U) BY CONTRAST, THE SMALLEST OF THE THREE CONFEDERATIONS
(THOUGH STILL A POTENT SOCIAL FORCE WITH 1.8 MILLION
MEMBERS),THE ITALIAN UNION OF LABOR (UIL),REFUSED TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE ROME PEACE MARCH FEBRUARY 15 FOR FEAR OF
DELEGITIMIZING THE UN. THE UIL WAS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THE
OTHER TWO CONFEDERATIONS' ASSERTIONS THAT WAR IS NEVER AN
ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE, ARGUING THAT UNSC-SANCTIONED
CONFLICT MIGHT BE UNDESIRABLE BUT WOULD BE LEGITIMATE.


8. (U) REGARDLESS OF THEIR PHILOSOPHICAL POSITIONS ON
MILITARY ACTION, ALL THREE CONFEDERATIONS STRESS THE
IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL ACTION. WHEN THE TRANSHIPMENT ISSUE
FIRST BROKE O/A FEBRUARY 21, CGIL AND CISL LEADERS EPIFANI
AND PEZZOTA ISSUED A JOINT STATEMENT SUPPORTING TRAIN
ENGINEERS WHO DID NOT WISH TO TRANSPORT THE CARGO, ARGUING
THE CARGO COULD BE DANGEROUS AND THEREFORE COULD CREATE
HAZARDOUS WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THEIR MEMBERS. THEY ASKED
THE GOI TO PROMPTLY INFORM WORKERS ABOUT MATERIALS
TRANSPORTED. BUT THEY ALSO CALLED ON ALL THEIR MEMBERS ONLY
TO PURSUE LEGAL ACTIONS. AT A FEBRUARY 27 RALLY IN LIVORNO,
EPIFANI STRESSED THAT THE UNION MEMBERS WOULD REFUSE TO
HANDLE U.S. MILITARY CARGO WITHIN THE PORT, AND WOULD STRIKE
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PAGE 03 ROME 00928 02 OF 02 061453Z
TO AVOID DOING SO. BUT HE ALSO SAID THEY WOULD NOT ATTEMPT
TO BLOCK DELIVERY OF U.S. VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT OR JOIN
`DISOBEDIENT' PROTESTORS IN OTHER ACTIONS - PERHAPS WITH AN
EYE TO THE FINES AND OTHER PENALTIES THAT COULD BE IMPOSED
ON THE FEDERATION FOR VIOLATING ELEMENTS OF ITALIAN LABOR
LAW. PEZZOTA AS WELL REPEATEDLY HAS STATED THAT "BOYCOTTS
AND RAIL BLOCKADES DON'T ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PEACE."


9. (SBU) THERE IS EVIDENCE OF AT LEAST INFORMAL, LOCAL
COORDINATION BETWEEN CGIL MEMBERS AND THE `DISOBEDIENTS,'
MORE MILITANT PROTESTORS, MANY DRAWN FROM THE ANTI-
GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT, WITH FEWER QUALMS ABOUT EMPLOYING
CONFRONTATIONAL TACTICS (SEE REFS C AND D). CGIL APPEARS TO
HAVE DECIDED TO CONFINE ITS ACTIONS TO WITHIN THE PORT,
LEAVING PROTESTS AND OTHER POTENTIALLY DISRUPTIVE MEASURES
BETWEEN DARBY AND THE PORT TO THE `DISOBEDIENTS.'


10. (SBU) CGIL'S ACTIONS MAY COMPLICATE THE MILITARY CARGO'S
FINAL MOVEMENT FROM SHORE TO SHIP, BUT WE SEE NOTHING TO
INDICATE IT (OR THE OTHER ITALIAN UNIONS) ARE CONTEMPLATING
MORE AGGRESSIVE, POTENTIALLY VIOLENT ACTION TO PREVENT THE
CARGO'S ULTIMATE DEPARTURE. MOREOVER, THE CONFEDERATIONS'
STRONG EMPHASIS ON LEGAL ACTION SUGGESTS THAT ANY LABOR
ACTIONS ON U.S. BASES (WHERE CGIL IS NOT REPRESENTED) DURING
A CONFLICT SHOULD BE LARGELY SYMBOLIC, ALTHOUGH STRIKES OR
REFUSAL TO PERFORM CERTAIN TASKS, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY
DISRUPT OPERATIONS, CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT. WE WILL
REPORT SEPARATELY ON THE GREATER POTENTIAL FOR "NO-GLOBAL"
ORGANIZATIONS TO ORGANIZE TO DISRUPT TRANSIT AND USE OF
ITALIAN BASES IN EVENT OF ACTUAL HOSTILITIES.

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SEMBLER

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2003ROME00928 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED