Luigi Sbarra began his union experience in Locri as a territorial operator for Fisba Cisl, the Federation of Agricultural Workers. In 1984, he furthered his training by participating in the long-term course for executives at the Cisl Study Center in Taranto. The following year, he was elected General Secretary of Fisba in Locri. From 1988 to 1993, he led Cisl in the Locride area and then became the General Secretary of the Province of Reggio Calabria, where he remained until 2000. In that year, he took on the leadership role of Cisl Calabria, which he held until December 2009 when he was called to Rome to join the National Confederation Secretariat. In April 2016, he was elected General Secretary of Fai Cisl National. On March 28, 2018, he was elected Deputy General Secretary of Cisl National by the General Council. On March 3, 2021, he was elected General Secretary. On May 28, 2022, at the end of the XIX Confederation Congress, he was unanimously reconfirmed as General Secretary of Cisl. 

 Born in 1960 in Pazzano, in the province of Reggio Calabria, he is married, has two children, and is an employee of Anas.