After the tragedy of Satnam Singh, the Indian laborer who died atrociously in Latina last week, Legacoop Romagna and a group of agri-food companies – including Apofruit Italia, Terremerse, Cevico, Fruttagel, Cooperativa Agricola Cesenate and the agricultural labor cooperatives – have sent an open letter to the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and to the most important institutions.
000 workers, a good percentage of whom are also members. Companies subject by law to periodic supervision (annual or biennial) by the Ministry of Economy, in which, among other things, the principle of democratic participation of members in the life of the company applies, which is certainly the first guarantee of respect for civil and labour rights by the company. This is also true, of course, for the seven cooperatives of day laborers in the province of Ravenna, which manage approximately 12,000 hectares of land, providing work to over 600 people. They represent in an identifying and specific way the history of Ravenna cooperation, which began way back in 1883 with the aim of emancipating hundreds of very poor, hungry and exploited day laborers from poverty”.
“Yes, some similarities with the Indian workers of the Pontine countryside exist, although 140 years have passed – continues the letter – With a substantial difference, however, which from the end of the nineteenth century identifies a model and an indispensable path to follow. The associated cooperatives, the seven worker cooperatives among them, respect and apply the national collective labor agreements. This is the first, priority element to consider in trying to seriously address the tragedy of exploitation: legality and respect for the dignity of workers. all people. It would be necessary to work together: companies, trade associations, trade unions, institutions at all territorial levels. As we hear on all occasions when a tragedy occurs, controls and inspectors, the number of which on the contrary, it has been understaffed for years. However, what should really make the difference should be structural reforms and not just coercive interventions after the fact.”
“We say it again, and with greater force, to the President of the Council of Ministers: the Italian Government must escape from the increasingly evident contradiction of wanting to incentivize the national economy without worrying about the problem of employment and workers who are not found in sufficient numbers, starting with the needs of agricultural businesses and production – the letter concludes – Immigration is essential to the development of the country and the system of rules that now governs it, the result of anti-historical ideological closures, is taking Italy out of Europe, condemning it to recession (the ISTAT data from the first months of the year confirm this). We need profound and structural reforms, urgent, that organically address the entry paths, permits and reception methods, starting with renewed housing policies, for foreign workers. We also need, as Legacoop has been asking for years, a law against false cooperatives, like the one that exploited and killed Satnam Singh”.
The letter is signed by Paolo Lucchi, President of Legacoop Romagna; Simona Benedetti, Territorial Coordinator Forlì-Cesena; Giorgia Gianni, Rimini Territorial Coordinator; Mirco Bagnari, Ravenna Territorial Coordinator; Federico Morgagni, Head of Forlì-Cesena Agri-Food Cooperatives; Stefano Patrizi, Manager of Agricultural Cooperatives Ravenna; Massimo Bezzi, President CAB Bagnacavallo and Faenza; Andrea Caroti, President CAB Cervese District; Fabrizio Galavotti, CAB Terra; Rudy Maiani, President of AGRISFERA; Mauro Parisi, President CAB Fusignano; Massimo Pepoli, CAB Campiano; Gianluca Tedaldi, CAB Massari; Marco Casalini, President of TERREMERSE; Franco Donati, President of CEVICO; Stanislao Fabbrino, President of FRUTTAGEL; Giovanni Piersanti, President of CAC; Mirco Zanotti, President of APOFRUIT.
