«Dangerous manoeuvre, it does not fight the escape. The strike will serve as it was with Draghi»- Corriere.it

CGIL and UIL will strike against the Meloni maneuver. Also last year there was a separate strike, without the CISL, but what was it for? Isn’t there a risk of a useless strike?
«No – replies the secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini -. Last year’s strike led the Draghi government to approve the two-point cut in the contribution wedge, which is now being resold to us as a measure by this executive, and led to the establishment of the tax on extra profits, albeit insufficient, but which yielded the 200 euro bonus for employees. Tax that has now been reduced.

Actually the rate has gone from 25 to 50%.

«Yes, but the tax base has changed. Previously the tax was aimed at 11,000 businesses with the aim of collecting around 12 billion, now we’ve dropped to an audience of 6-7,000 for a revenue of 2.5 billion».

The Draghi tax, however, only collected a couple of billion. But let’s go back to the strike. The leader of the CISL, Luigi Sbarra, says that in this way tensions are transferred to the workplace.

«Tensions are created if people feel alone and don’t make ends meet. The maneuver is regressive in merit. And, in the method, the government does not want to argue with the union. This is demonstrated by the fact that the meeting with us took place after they had held a summit with the majority, deciding that there can be no substantial changes to the Budget law. But we are determined to change the government’s choices which, among other things, widen precariousness, even with the return of vouchers, and do not address the wage emergency”.

Speaking of tensions. Do you see the risk of even violent reactions to the tightening of the Citizenship Income?

“Threats and violent actions must be condemned. But we need to stop thinking that anyone who doesn’t agree is violent. The mobilization to propose changes must be guaranteed. The reasons for protesting are obvious. In the manoeuvre, it turns out that there is even a reduction from 26 to 14% of taxation on financial income. This while poverty is increasing in the country. Not only. Europe reminds us that we have the record for VAT evasion and what does the government do? Increase the ceiling on cash and reduce the obligation to accept payments with the Pos. All this demonstrates that the fiscal measures are wrong and that there is no political will to fight tax evasion”.

The CGIL has met almost all the parties, majority and opposition. Who is closest to your locations? Looks like 5 Stars.

«We have explained our proposals to everyone and asked them what they want to do to change the manoeuvre. Contrary to what the government has told us, even in the majority parties we have seen interest in pensions, wages and differentiated autonomy, on which we are against. Now we need to see what will happen in Parliament”.

Have you evaluated common initiatives with the leader of the 5 Stars, Giuseppe Conte?

«No, we form a union and we are an autonomous union: we do not agree on our initiatives with any party. Our goal is to defend workers regardless of how they voted. And we do it by taking to the streets and seeking agreements to determine the necessary changes”.

Meloni is convinced that the government will last. She?

«It has the majority which gives it the possibility of lasting 5 years. Unfortunately, the departure is worrying. The government maneuver is regressive and dangerous: wages are not increased; on the tax authorities we are going in the opposite direction to the fight against tax evasion; healthcare, school, local transport are cut; spending on pensions is reduced by 3.5 billion, with damage to indexing and Fornero is not changed. It is a maneuver that mortgages the future in the opposite direction to the platforms of the CGIL, CISL and UIL”.

But the union is divided. Doesn’t that make it harder to get changes?

«It is more difficult, but the government must also make its assessments. Of course, he has a majority in Parliament, but not in the country, taking into account that 18 million voters did not vote. And above all, he must decide whether he wants to fuel divisions or discuss reforms with us: pensions, taxation, precariousness, industrial policies, the Mezzogiorno”.

The union also appears to lack points of reference in the opposition parties. The Democratic Party is engaged in the congress. Do you consider the line of Stefano Bonaccini or Elly Schlein, the main candidates for the secretariat, closer to the CGIL?

«I carry on the CGIL line. Which I also illustrated in the meeting with the current secretary, Enrico Letta. The rest belongs to the discussion of the Democratic Party. Giving value to work concerns all politics».

Even the CGIL is close to the congress. She reapplies. Because?

«The congress document of which I am the first signatory is having a very broad consensus. In these four years we have faced enormous difficulties such as the pandemic, climate change and war. We must carry forward our claims to improve the conditions of those we represent and give the country a future, by expanding representation itself and renewing the union”.