Former Ilva strike, workers occupy the departures area of Genoa airport

The workers of the former Ilva of Cornigliano occupied the boarding area of ​​the Cristoforo Colombo airport in Genoa, announcing the start of the protest against the request for new layoffs. The unions promise to continue their mobilization until concrete answers arrive from the government on the future of the plant

"We officially declare that the airport is occupied." This was announced by the former Ilva workers of Cornigliano as soon as they entered the boarding area of ​​the "Colombo" in Genoa. The new workers' protest is due to the request for layoffs by the former Ilva commissioners. The mobilization aims to obtain immediate responses from the ministry after the communication sent on Friday which provides for an increase in the layoffs due to the lack of supplies of coils necessary for production.

The protest at the airport

The workers reached the airport at the end of the assembly which was held this morning in front of the gates of the Cornigliano plant. Once inside the airport, they left a corridor open for the passengers present to board. Then they sat on the ground, banging their helmets on the floor. "We will stay here - shouted Armando Palombo (Fiom) amid the applause and chants of the workers - until this government gives us an answer".

The clash with the commissioners

During the meeting, Palombo accused the commissioners of not having kept the commitments made a few days earlier. According to the trade unionist, production continuity had been guaranteed on Wednesday, while on Friday the communication arrived which provides for the use of layoffs. "They put us in a position to force and we will force, just to be very clear. Because in this country if issues don't explode we won't get anywhere," Palombo said.

Fears for production

Nicola Appice of Fim Cisl also placed emphasis on the overall dispute and the imminent ruling of the Supreme Court for Taranto: "The three days under the prefecture seemed to have guaranteed a temporary supply of 35 thousand tons of coils so as not to stop Genoa. Then on Friday came the communication of a redundancy fund which risks blocking entire departments, including the clerical ones. If those stop, all the remaining processing risks blocking. We need to guarantee supplies immediately: we are ready do anything to save your job." Closing the speeches from the stage was Fabio Ceraudo, from Usb, who reiterated the need to defend the Genoese industrial presence.

Governor Liguria: "There is an agreement, we will ask commissioners to clarify"

While the protest continues in the Genoese airport, the governor of Liguria Marco Bucci reached the airport to meet the union representatives. Also present at the workers' meeting were PD parliamentarians Valentina Ghio and Alberto Pandolfo. "Genoa wants to continue working and has a program, accepted by Acciaierie d'Italia, to deal with material for third parties in the event of closure in Taranto - said Bucci -. Wednesday's agreement is in operation and we are working towards this: we will ask the commissioners to clarify the situation". Referring to the letter delivered on Friday in which the extraordinary commissioners announced the increase in layoffs, Bucci explained: "We were all surprised, but it is a parallel move to cover economic needs. However, there is also another letter, also on Friday, sent by Acciaierie d'Italia to the Region and Metropolitan City to request authorization to deal with coils for third parties: the plan to not stop the plant exists and is ready to start until the new buyer takes over". "I already spoke with the commissioners on Saturday - concluded Bucci -. We must avoid counterproductive messages. I am confident, but above all it is necessary to find a solution: we will do everything possible to ensure that the dispute is handled intelligently".