How do I know if there's a transport strike?

They're published ahead of time — the Italian transport ministry keeps a public strike calendar, and Trenitalia and Italo both post notices in their apps and at stations. Local bus and metro strikes are announced by the city operator. Hotels usually know, and it's a fair question to ask at check-in if you have a travel day coming. Strikes are common, orderly and time-boxed: often 9am to 5pm, with everything running normally outside those hours. They're an inconvenience to plan around, not a crisis — unless you've left no margin before a flight.