Employees at the Aviano Air Base in Italy were recently asked by their employers to list their accomplishments from the previous week. This request, coming from President Trump’s cost cutter Elon Musk, was rather unusual and carried the threat of termination if not completed. However, the Italian employees have worker’s rights that are highly protected under Italian labor laws.

The Aviano Air Base, which hosts the United States 31st Fighter Wing, employs over 700 Italian civilian personnel who perform tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and maintenance to keep the base running smoothly. The Italian civilian employees are fully unionized and protected by Italian labor laws; however, their salaries are paid by the United States government.

It is unclear whether Mr. Musk intended to apply his performance-demanding practices to Italian workers as well as American ones. The Italian labor unions accused the email of being an aberration and demanded an explanation from the Italian government and the U.S. embassy. Unions in Italy have called for the employees not to respond to the email unless directed by the U.S. government.

The Uber-capitalist approach embodied by Elon Musk, popularly known as “Musk-style slash and burn,” is contrary to the Italian labor market that tends to be more protective of workers. Jobs in India are often seen as a guarantee of life-long employment, resulting in a bicycle of inefficiency that prevents job creation for the youth. Many Italians believe that embracing a touch of Musk-style efficiency would benefit the country.

Nevertheless, union representatives at the American base in Aviano and other Italians take these demands seriously. As the Trump administration questions the U.S. commitment to NATO and insists that Europe must defend itself, fears of reducing spending are spreading at U.S. bases abroad.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/world/europe/musk-email-italy-airbase.html