UIL Lombardia makes no concessions to the Government and local institutions on World Occupational Health and Safety Day (today, 28 April). The Uil Varese coordinator Antonio Massafra reiterates the issues of safety, but also of dignified and fair work as well as safe, relaunching the campaign that the UIL has been carrying out for 3 years: ZERO DEATHS AT WORK ( ZeroMortiSulLavoro ) and who saw the support of President Mattarella and the Holy Father.
Words that echo after yet another massacre of innocents. A war that highlights Massafra with numbers that make Lombardy the Italian black jersey which in 5 years has recorded over 1000 deaths and more than 500 thousand accident reports with 2024 starting with thrilling numbers: in the months of January and February in our region, according to INAIL, 27 deaths at work have already been recorded in addition to 18,386 injuries (an increase of 11.64% compared to 2023), and 578 technopathies (+6.32%). And if we consider the age groups, general increases emerge in almost all groups, especially among the under 15s (+28.5%) and the 25 – 29 age group (+10.5%) with a decrease only in the 45 age group. -49 years (-0.73%). Accidents for which the UIL still takes to the streets after repeated appeals, mobilisations, strikes and demonstrations.
“Now stop – thunders the coordinator Antonio Massafra – We took to the streets again for safe work after countless requests and proposals, in line with the unitary platforms. Health and safety must come first. We want to stop seeing the condolences of politicians on the catwalk who make proclamations and then promulgate laws that go in the opposite direction. No more cascading subcontracts, no more resources for inspections. We want work to return to the top of the government agenda. We want the crime of homicide at work to be introduced, for mandatory training to be carried out even on the job, for there to be greater controls also by expanding the powers of RLSTs and a real points-based license, not the ridiculous one that the Government would like to introduce. Just as it is necessary that companies that have had accidents do not participate in the tenders and that all local authorities apply the protocols signed with the prefectures”.
Massafra’s appeal also goes to those virtuous companies that often find themselves in competition with those who do not respect the rules: «Stop, don’t put profit first».
And if work must be safe it must also be certain and not precarious. «Enough with ghost workers and any form of precarious employment and exploitation – concludes the Uil Varese coordinator – by companies towards workers. Even today exploitation is also present in Lombardy. The work must be paid by employment contracts signed by the most representative trade union organizations and must be dignified. National collective agreements must be applied to all categories, including subcontracted workers. Second level territorial and company contracts must be signed. Only in this way will it be possible to combat poor work. Work is the true redistributor of income. How to do? We really think about using EXTRA PROFITS in a serious way, not through the farce made by the Government. After the Zero Deaths at Work campaign, Uil launched a new campaign which It’s NO TO GHOST WORKERS».
