The trade unionist who quotes Ferragni to attack Meloni: “You are not welcome on the CGIL stage”

The superstitious know that Friday the 17th is always a delicate date and the third day of the CGIL national congress in Rimini already has all the conditions to confirm anxieties. He starts at 9.00 and at noon Meloni arrives to talk for 30 minutes. It is said that today the president will be welcomed by a group of protesters who will throw stuffed animals, as has become usual in demonstrations to remember the dead of the massacre of migrants in Cutro and blame it on the government. Perhaps, the premier will even be let in from the back to avoid accidents. Certainly, Eliana Como, national Fiom-Cgil, who yesterday participated in the debates wearing a cape that said “Meloni thought unwelcome” (quote from Chiara Ferragni in Sanremo), will express her dissent in a “composed, but severe” way. Then, you will leave the room, together with the other delegates adhering to the radical current that you lead within the union.

Como, why is Meloni’s presence unwelcome to you?
“This invitation is not made in my name. The political culture of this government is not only different from that of the CGIL, it is really incompatible. We learned from the newspapers that Meloni would come. It has not been decided in the collegiate bodies of the union, otherwise, I would have said it there”.

Why did he mention Chiara Ferragni, who showed the words “Think free” in Sanremo?
«When I saw the congress program, I thought it was organized as a talk show, like Sanremo. So I said to myself: we only need Ferragni, without pretending to be as graceful as her».

Rumor has it that tomorrow he intends to boo Meloni’s speech, is that right?
“No, it’s a gift we don’t want to give him. The other delegates and I will mount a composed but stern protest. Then, we will leave the hall. For now I can’t say anything else, I don’t want to spoil the surprise».

Have you received demonstrations of solidarity?
“Beyond the ones I’ve had on social media or in person, inside and outside the union, my feeling is that Meloni’s presence arouses widespread malaise in the CGIL”.

There are also those who criticized it?
«Inevitable official defenses, the argument of which is: historically the CGIL has invited the institutions to its congress. No, Berlusconi has not been invited. Renzi and Conte were called to participate, not to speak. Now, I understand that we have to negotiate with the government, from here to invite Meloni to make an intervention, however, we’re okay with it ».

He wrote on Facebook: “This is a fascist government.” Are you convinced?
«It is clear that it is not a matter of 20th century Fascism, that of the black shirts. But in the ways, in the revanchism even of high-level exponents, who shortly before being elected made no secret of neo-fascist sympathies, what we are facing is evident. Let’s look at the facts: the Cutro massacre, the tax reform, the attack on basic income, the anti-fascist principal of Florence and the right to abortion. This is a culture that does not belong to us.”