Ah, it finally happened. George Clooney got married again. The ceremony was in Venice—Oh, the glamor, the fashions, the celebs—the labor protests!
 |
While the social ceremony went off without a glitch, the civil ceremony, a requirement for a legally recognized marriage under Italian law, was a little different. When the happy couple went to the historic 13th Century city hall to sign the legal documents, they were greeted with the paparazzi and angry, placard-bearing city workers hoping the media frenzy would give some publicity to their grievances.
According to The Telegraph, the union members, knowing that Clooney supports many causes, and his new wife, Amal Alamuddin, who also happens to be a human rights attorney in Britain, thought they might get some support from the newlyweds for their strike about the reductions to their salaries because of the city’s budget problems.
Proposals by the city would cut workers’ average monthly salary of 2,500 Euros by 500 Euros. The unions maintain that the budget problems are the result of mismanagement and a possible corruption scandal.
“We are very much hoping that George will express his support for us,” union leader Luca Lombardo told The Telegraph. The workers even sent the groom a letter saying that while they are happy he chose their beautiful city for his grand wedding, he should recognize that unemployment is high and workers are struggling.
The protesting workers did not try to disrupt the couple’s entry into the city hall. At press time, there is no word on whether the groom replied to the workers’ pleas. So, it’s congratulations on your wedding, now support our cause!
That’s one surefire way to get coverage of labor issues–I wonder if the strike will be covered in People.