Ex Ilva Taranto, 24-hour strike for contract workers: the provincial road occupied

Fim, Fiom, Uilm and Usb have proclaimed the first 24 hours of mobilization for all contract workers, until 7am tomorrow. The provincial road to Statte was occupied as a sign of protest, but a road block was also announced on the state road towards Bari

After the meeting in front of the business concierge of the former Ilva factory in Taranto, the Fim, Fiom, Uilm and Usb unions proclaimed the first 24 hours of strike for all contract workers starting from 9 am today until 7 am tomorrow. Dozens of related workers and trade union representatives started a procession that crossed the provincial road to Statte and the Tamburi district to head towards Palazzo di Città, causing traffic disruption. "Let it be clear - the unions underline in the strike communication - that we will not stop if there are no extraordinary solutions and measures for all workers".

The reasons for the protest

The mobilization is against the risk of collective layoffs for around 2,500 workers, linked to the stoppage of the hot area of the plant by the end of October ordered by the Court of Appeal of Milan. Tomorrow a new table on the former Ilva between the government and the unions is expected at Palazzo Chigi, but yesterday no formal summons had yet arrived either to the trade union organizations or to the commissioners of the extraordinary administrations of Ilva and Acciaierie d'Italia. "Time is up", reiterated the unions, asking for employment guarantees, income protection and an industrial plan for Taranto and explaining that today's mobilization is not directed against the provision of the Court of Appeal of Milan, but against the responsibilities of the governments that have followed one another in the management of the former Ilva dispute.

"We had foreseen that, with the sentence of the Court of Appeal of Milan and the risk of closure of the hot area, the weakest link in the chain would pay the heaviest consequences", said Francesco Brigati, general secretary of the Fiom CGIL of Taranto and Puglia. "We had asked the Government to address the situation at Mimit and Palazzo Chigi, but no answers were received for all the workers, starting from those on the contract", adds Brigati. "We need extraordinary measures, income protection and a concrete industrial perspective. We cannot wait another 10 or 15 years." The trade unionist also calls for the extension of social security benefits linked to asbestos to related workers and the blocking of collective dismissal procedures. "This is the first initiative of an extraordinary and permanent mobilization. We will continue to mobilize until answers arrive for everyone", concludes Brigati.