US Shutdown Leaves Italian Workers in Limbo, Fearing Mortgage Defaults and Fuel Shortages
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The prolonged US government shutdown, now the country's longest on record, has left thousands of Italian workers at US military bases in Italy facing financial uncertainty. Over 4,600 Italian nationals, including 1,300 workers at the Aviano and Vicenza bases and 400 at the Livorno base, have not received pay since the shutdown began. According to Angelo Zaccaria, a union coordinator at the Aviano Air Base, workers are struggling to make ends meet, with some facing difficulties paying mortgages, supporting their children, and even purchasing fuel for their daily commutes. Zaccaria has appealed to the Italian government to intervene, citing a lack of urgency from US authorities and the absence of a clear solution to the crisis. In contrast, some countries hosting US military bases have stepped in to cover the salaries of local workers. Germany, for example, has paid off the salaries of nearly 11,000 civilian employees working on US bases, while the US government is expected to repay the costs once the shutdown is resolved. Local workers at US air bases around the world, including Italy, perform a range of jobs, including construction, maintenance, logistics, and food service. Their pay is determined by agreements between the US government and host nations. Despite the payment disruptions, the Pentagon has acknowledged the importance of local national employees, stating, 'We value the important contributions of our local national employees around the world.'
