(Finance) – With the appointment of commissioners a new phase opens for the former Ilvathat of relaunch. Meanwhile, in a note Loris Scarpa, national steelworks coordinator for Fiom-Cgil, expresses satisfaction at the fact that the danger for former Ilva workers of not being guaranteed salary continuity, that is, the extraordinary commissioners communicated in today’s meeting that the contractual provisions, specifically holidays, will be recognized. So unlike what happened in 2015, we will follow a different path. This is an important result for workers”.
“The recognition of workers’ rights was also obtained thanks to the commitment of our trade union representatives in the factories, and could constitute an important precedent for other similar situations – adds -. The extraordinary commissioners demonstrated thefully aware of the situation of the factories and have made the commitment to obtain the necessary liquidity to ensure the company’s production continuity. Like Fiom-Cgil we reiterate that it is necessary to reach a restart agreement, site by site, for production continuity and for the safety of workers, plants and the environment”.
Guglielmo Gambardella, national secretary, and Davide Sperti, secretary Uilm Taranto positively welcome the meeting via video link with the three Commissioners of Acciaierie d’Italia, because – they underline in a note – “we have received a definitive clarification regarding the doubts on the management of holidays and other contractual provisions of workers after the start of the extraordinary administration. The Commissioners have made it clear that there will be continuity on holidays and, therefore, that the workers will not lose anything. Despite the short time since taking charge, the Commissioners, aware of the enormous difficulties, see the potential for relaunch. The situation of the factories is dramatic, the result of the failed management of recent years by ArcelorMittal”.
“For this reason we also expect the Commissioners to carry out a verification of the responsibilities for this industrial disaster. We therefore ask that they begin as quickly as possible to see the first concrete actions by the Commissioners, in total discontinuity compared to the past. This is why the Government’s maximum commitment is needed, starting with rapid financing of the company, and we are ready to do our part to save the former Ilva, protecting the environment and safeguarding all workers. In the meeting scheduled for next week in Taranto we expect clarity to also be made on the methods of managing the redundancy fund, which has so far been used in a disproportionate and unilateral manner”.
Unfortunately, however, today in the Tamburi district of Taranto, in via Machiavelli, right in the neighborhood in front of the former Ilva steel plant a new peak in benzene was recordedAnd. The Arpa control unit detected an hourly value of 32.49 micrograms/cubic meter, well above the acute Rel value of 27 micrograms established by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (Oehha) of the Environmental Protection Agency of California”.
This is the alarm raised by the president of Peacelink Alessandro Marescotti, who underlines that “yet another episode of benzene pollution demonstrates that the situation in Taranto has not changed with the new management of Ilva”. The plant “now under state control – he adds – continues to release harmful and carcinogenic substances into the air, putting the health of citizens at risk”.
According to the environmentalist “in Taranto a radical change of direction is necessary: the production of the former Ilva which releases carcinogenic substances must be stopped until the safety and health of citizens are guaranteed. The State cannot work miracles: concrete and courageous actions are needed to protect the health of the citizens of Taranto”.