<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The official script of the general strike was about unions defending workers from being sacked by Berlusconi's Thatcherite attack. In a world where labour organisations have lost considerable influence in recent years, the principal concern of the unions that called the general strike was that they should be consulted over labour policy. The general strike was little more than a cry to be heard.<BR class=NetscapeDummy><BR class=NetscapeDummy></FONT> <A href="http://www.spiked-online.com/Printable/00000006D8A5.htm">http://www.spiked-online.com/Printable/00000006D8A5.htm</DIV></A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>