The atrocious fate of the Indian laborer Singh Satnam, left to bleed to death after he lost an arm while working on a farm in Latina, has brought to the surface the never-challenged plagues of undeclared work in the fields, gangmastering and the link between this last and the mafias. “Uncomfortable” issues for politicians of all colors as, if addressed, they affect the economic interests of large sections of the population and therefore large sections of voters. However, the impact the contingent episode had on public opinion seems to have stirred things up, so much so that the Minister of Labor Marina Calderone has started a series of checks on agricultural companies located in the provinces of Latina, L’Aquila, Turin, Cuneo, Rieti and Caltanissetta which started on July 3rd and conducted by 690 Carabinieri from the Labor Protection Command and the Territorial Armed Forces as well as 550 inspectors from the National Labor Inspectorate for a total of one thousand and 240 units. The checks involved 310 agricultural companies, 206 of which were found to be irregular. More than two thousand workers were checked, 616 of which were found to be irregular with 216 operators found to be completely unregistered. in the black and another 786 belonging to irregular work positions.
Gangmastering, an all too widespread phenomenon
The vast majority of these irregularities obviously impacted non-EU citizens who often did not have a residence permit. 128 measures were issued to suspend business activities, the total amount of fines imposed was over one million and 600 thousand euros, 171 people were referred to the judicial authorities and among these 157 company managers, accused of violating the legislation on health and safety in the workplace. Two seizure measures.
Beyond the figures, what is striking is the diffusion of the phenomenon. In fact, it impacts two out of three agricultural companies, confirming how “normal” it is for certain people to present themselves as agricultural entrepreneurs but without being one. In fact, a true entrepreneur respects the laws and does not adopt slave-like attitudes towards poor people who come to Italy to work. Maybe with illicit means, but to work. It is therefore time to differentiate honest farmers and breeders, the true entrepreneurs, from the so-called slavers by means of widespread controls carried out where the phenomenon is known to be most common, then hitting those who go astray with severe penalties. And also stop the justifications that slavers want forced to be such by the threats they suffer from the local authorities.
Anyone who directly or indirectly supports the mafias and does not report them is also a mafioso, even more so if he becomes rich thanks to the delinquent behavior of others. As also happens where farmers use agricultural fields to make special waste disappear.
Title: Gangmastering, an all too widespread phenomenon
Author: Furio Oldani
Translation with Google
