US embassy cable - 03ROME928

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, U.S 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. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00928  01 OF 02  061453Z 
 
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 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           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, IT 
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 - 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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SEMBLER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2003ROME00928 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED