Thousands of employees at Italian mobile carrier WindTre have gone on strike today (October 12).

The strikes have been organized by Italy's major workers unions, SLC CGIL, FISTEL CISL, and UILFPC, in protest against corporate austerity measures and the renewal of its supplementary payroll.

The strikes were confirmed by the unions last week, and have been taking place across the country, including at some of the companies main offices in Rome and Milan.

PalermoToday reported that around 600 workers have taken to the picket line in Palermo.

It comes after talks between the unions and bosses at WindTre have broken down, said the unions. "WindTre management has pursued a totally unacceptable course based on a one-way policy of austerity and efficiency," said SLC CGIL in a statement last week. "We can no longer tolerate the sacrifices always falling on the shoulders of workers."

WindTre is one of Italy's largest mobile carriers with around 18 million mobile subscribers.

Workers at WindTre are on strike after a month-long ban on overtime and on-call hours, according to local reports, while unions have been locked in a stalemate with the telco over the supplementary contract of its workers.

The unions are stating that WindTre's economic and regulatory parameters have remained unchanged since 2008, after even suffering cuts in 2012, which has led to the workforce losing out.

This has led the unions to ask WindTre to increase wages at the carrier, which it argues isn't in line with the rest of the telecommunications sector. Italy's unions have also requested more substantial performance bonuses for employees.

"The company must understand that WindTre's asset is the people who work there every day. If the response to inflation and the cost of living is to shut down dialogue, our only response can be a complete shutdown of operations," said SLC CGIL in a statement last week.

"Now it's up to us to take what is rightfully ours: we invite all workers to cross their arms for the whole day of October 12th and to participate in the territorial demonstrations that will be held in front of the main offices, starting with those in Rome and Milan."

DCD has contacted WindTre for comment.