4-hour “warning” strike on 7 and 10 July – Corriere.it

The secretary general of Fiom De Palma calls it a warning strike. As if to say: only the beginning, or things get fixed or we move forward. This was proclaimed by the metalworkers of Fiom, Fim and Uilm: 4 hours of abstention from work in all metalworking companies in the country: Friday 7 July for the central-northern regions, Monday 10 July for the southern regions and Lazio. a mobilization of merit, a constructive mobilization to claim industrial policy tools that are shared with all the social parties concerned and that can once again attract large industrial investments to our country which today concern many other countries, says the general secretary of the Fim-Cisl, Robert Benaglia. Metalworkers are worried about the future of the sector after -7.2% in industrial production in April. And they are calling for urgent industrial policies in particular for the automotive, steel and household appliances.

There are currently 70,000 workers affected by corporate crises open to the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, of which over 50,000 are metalworkers, indicates the Uilm, led by Rocco Palombella, on the basis of the latest data relating to the crisis tables open at Mimit: 57, of which 34 are active and 23 are monitoring. Furthermore, adds the union, there are 70,000 jobs at risk in the automotive sector in the event of failure to manage the ecological transition. In the press conference, the three general secretaries also underlined the difficulties of the iron and steel sector, in particular as regards the former Ilva and the former Lucchini of Piombino. But the protest in this case seems to be oriented more towards prevention than cure. To prevent the crises of the future and not only to cure the present ones which, in terms of number, seem to be under control.

Note: the three acronyms arrived at today’s unitary strike after a work of internal mending. Fiom and Uilm were in favor of a forward flight and the declaration of the eight-hour strike but the Fim was reluctant. And so an agreement was found which maintained the unity of the front. It wasn’t obvious. There is no shortage of tension at the confederal union level. And usually the first category affected by that of the metalworkers.

In recent decades, say the metalworkers’ unions of CGIL, CISL and UIL, entire production sectors have essentially disappeared from our country. Today this dynamic has not stopped and risks compromising vital sectors for our economy. Like the steel industry which has been suffering for several years from substantial difficulties with 20,000 jobs at risk, worsened by the expensive energy and the lack of raw materials and the uncontrolled dumping of imports, say the three acronyms speaking of a dramatic condition today for the former Ilva (Acciaierie of Italy), for the former Lucchini of Piombino (Jsw Steel Italy) and for the former Alcoa of Portovesme (SiderAlloys). The household appliance, after an increase in production in the years of the pandemic, is recording a new and significant decline. We have no information regarding the announced corporate changes of the two multinationals, Whirlpool and Electrolux, nor guarantees on industrial and employment prospects. For the automotive sector, although we have recorded a slight increase in production with 400,000 cars produced in one year, we are far from the production level of 1.5 million cars and we are recording a constant downward trend over the last 20 years, with consequences on ‘occupation. Delays in investments in the ecological transition, if not planned and not managed adequately, will put at risk – remarked by Fim, Fiom and Uilm – an additional 70 thousand jobs. For the installation of plants, the continuous tenders with the lowest price and the absence of social safeguard clauses are literally undermining the sector and while the other countries implement international investment plans on green and sustainable technologies for the metalworking sector, the our country stands still. Hence the go-ahead for the unitary initiative: Metalworkers are mobilizing and striking for their future and for the future of the country, they remark, also explaining that in recent weeks, thousands of unitary assemblies will be held in the workplace to confront workers on these topics. Fim, Fiom and Uilm have a clear idea of ​​what is necessary to face this very delicate historical phase and they want to be listened to and involved in the choices”.