Ten-Day Strike At Gioia Tauro

Genoa - The unions have declared a ten-day strike by port workers at Gioia Tauro in an attempt to prevent the 400 redundancies announced by MCT, the company that manages the port’s container terminal. Nino Costantino, the General Secretary of FIT CGIL Calabria made the announcement, and in a press release, explained that “the effects will be dramatic for the workers, their families and the economy of the Plain of Gioia Tauro and Calabria as a whole.” He added, “This strike is to challenge the MCT company, its attitude, arrogance and inconsistency. But it is also a strike that is asking the national government [to give us] not more words, but concrete action at Gioia Tauro. It is a strike that is speaking to Italy, saying that the port of Gioia is a national resource, that there is more than just Genoa and Trieste. It is a strike that says that words are no longer enough: the careening basin, the rail gateway and the ZES [i.e. Special Economic Zone] are still in trouble. It is also a strike that is asking the Regional Council to pay attention, to give some signal, to arouse from its slumber, to truly fight for Calabria. Mario Oliverio, give up your good intentions, which were convenient in fat years, and take action: defend your region, protect its citizens and workers. Arrange a meeting concerning Gioia Tauro between President Gentiloni and the unions and MCT immediately. Behave in a manner that is consistent with your position as President of the Region of Calabria.” Constantino added that “in recent weeks many people have shown their concern for the fate of the workers and the redundancies that the company has planned, many people have issued press releases that asked the union to take harsher actions. So now we have the tool we need: the fight will be hard, and the strike will last ten days. No more excuses. We are convinced that the unions of all the cities of the Plain of Gioia Tauro and the entire metropolitan city will encourage their communities to support popular participation.” He concluded, “Likewise, we think that all the parties of the left, centre and right that have spewed rivers of words about the situation in Gioia Tauro now must not miss this opportunity to move from words to actions.”