British Council staff in Italy to strike over proposed 80% workforce cut

Soft power institution faces funding crisis linked to Covid-era government loan soon due to be repaid

Staff at the British Council in Italy will go on strike on Thursday over deep cuts that would slash about 80% of its workforce due to a funding crisis facing the organisation.

Out of 130 of its teaching staff across Rome, Milan and Naples, 108 are being targeted as teaching activities in Italy face the axe. The move would end 80 years of British Council English language teaching in Italy as part of the organisation’s global mission to promote British culture and education across the world, sources said.