Italy’s train staff strikes on eve of Milan Winter Olympics

By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello!

Today's newsletter focuses on workers' rights in Europe and the United States as Italy's train drivers conduct a strike right before the Winter Olympics in Milan, while Germany's transport staff conduct one of the largest coordinated actions and staff at a major defense company in Britain walk out. Keep scrolling for updates on workers at the U.S. disaster management agency.

Let's start with the strikes in Italy as regular commuters and travellers arriving in Milan for the Winter Olympics faced disruption as workers from the local train operating company staged a one-day stoppage.

The strike hit Trenord services running from Milan's main Malpensa Airport to the city center, as well as suburban lines and trains from nearby cities such as Bergamo and Brescia.

The strike has been called by the regional branch of the ORSA Ferrovie union in support of a long-standing dispute over contract renewal and worker safety.

Before we dive into more strike-related news, do check out some of my top U.S. immigration stories that are on my radar:

Commuters advance along a platform beneath a departure board citing strike-related changes at Milano Centrale station in Milan, Italy. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

In Germany, tens of thousands of public transport workers walked off the job in a strike called by trade union Verdi, shutting down bus and tram services in most cities in one of the largest coordinated actions in the local transport sector in years.

Verdi, which represents nearly 100,000 transport workers, called the strike after talks with municipal and state employers over working conditions stalled last week.

The union is demanding shorter shifts, longer rest breaks and higher pay for night and weekend work even as cities grapple with budget constraints.

The walkout affects about 150 municipal transport companies in all but one of Germany's 16 federal states, including Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen.

Temperatures fell below zero in much of the country, worsening the situation for commuters forced to seek alternative transportation.

The next round of negotiations is scheduled for February 9.

Union leaders warned that further industrial action could follow if employers do not offer significant concessions.

Over in France, LVMH's cognac maker Hennessy, the largest of its drink brands, has reached a pay deal with unions to compensate for bonuses lost last year due to weak sales, two sources told Reuters.

"This means there will be no strikes," said one of the sources who declined to be named because the discussions were private. However, the CGT labour union has called for further strikes over lost bonuses. Click here for more information on the deal.

And workers at British defence group BAE Systems in northwest England plan to take part in strikes from February 2 until at least February 20 in a dispute over pay and conditions, said a union representative at Unite.

Unite said it was taking the action after what it said were "bad faith negotiations over pay and conditions".

It said the company had imposed a pay deal of 3.6% in 2025 "against their will", arguing that it was below the rate of inflation and amounted to a real terms pay cut. More than 1,200 of its members planned to participate in the walkouts, it said.

Unions representing U.S. government workers have asked a federal judge to block President Donald Trump's administration from cutting more than 10,000 jobs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The unions said that job cuts at the agency which sends emergency personnel, supplies and equipment to areas stricken by disasters, began last month and that the Trump administration has misled the public about their scope.

According to a filing in San Francisco federal court, FEMA plans to not extend the temporary contracts of thousands of workers and on-call reservists who respond to disasters.

The unions claim the cuts are unlawful because they were not approved by Congress and also violate a law passed in November to end a 43-day government shutdown that barred layoffs at federal agencies through January 30.

FEMA and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

: Laborers dig at the Rubaya coltan mine, in the town of Rubaya, which is controlled by M23 rebels, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

A view looking towards the United States of the the partially frozen Niagara Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

Today's newsletter ends on a light-hearted note with some stunning images of a frozen Niagara Falls to lift your spirits.

Click here to take in some of the images from our photography team who captured the sight and the tourists who are flocking to view it, despite frigid temperatures.