US Consulate in Milan, compensation for 300 exploited workers

Not only the back wages, the INPS contributions and 7 million for moral damages paid by the American company Caddell Construction, but also residence permits issued by the Milan and Pisa police headquarters and Naspi unemployment benefits: these are the compensations for around 300 workers involved in the construction of the new US consulate in Milan who ended up under investigation for labor exploitation.

This is what we read in the Corriere della Sera.

According to what was reconstructed by prosecutors Paolo Storari and Mauro Clerici, workers were employed on the construction site "in exploitative conditions, taking advantage of their state of need" in a situation of "para-slavery". Caddell Construction, under investigation as well as two of its managers, has therefore decided to allocate a total package of 31 million euros to compensate workers which however, the American construction giant is keen to point out, "does not in any way constitute an admission of criminal, civil or administrative liability".

In particular, not only were 9.6 million euros paid to equalize the salaries that should have been paid, and 3 million to return the money deducted from workers for food and accommodation in a residence, but another 7 million were added as compensation for moral damages. Furthermore, Caddell Construction settled its debts with INPS with 7.2 million, as well as having paid another 4 million to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate.

The Police Headquarters of Milan and Pisa issued special residence permits to 238 workers, most of them Indian nationals, recruited by a Turkish intermediary company in New Delhi, while 60 unemployed workers were admitted by INPS to Naspi.