Italian workers issue an appeal to the workers of the world

The comrades of the IMT in Italy, Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione launched a campaign, “Workers are not cannon fodder” for the closure of all non-essential production, with the workers to be sent home on full pay, and where work is deemed essential for full protective equipment to be provided and safety procedures strictly adhered to. Their campaign appeal saw over 200 trade union shop stewards and activists sign up immediately, and more workers are signing every day. Add your name to show your support!

Despite the call for people to stay at home, the Italian government, under pressure from the bosses, has allowed non-essential workplaces to remain open, with millions of workers being forced to work in close proximity. This is a major contributing factor in spreading COVID-19. Spontaneous strikes have broken out in many factories, call centres and other workplaces across Italy, as the workers became concerned about the lack of appropriate safety equipment and procedures. Our Italian comrades were heavily involved in this movement, with many of their shop steward comrades playing a leading role.

On Monday 30 March, a public online meeting was organised, which saw the participation of around 250 people. The meeting was opened by Mario Iavazzi, a comrade of the IMT and a CGIL full-time official in the healthcare sector, and also a member of the national committee of the CGIL. He explained the aim of the campaign and outlined the dramatic situation faced by workers in all sectors.

All those who intervened highlighted one common theme: management tended to play down the impact of COVID-19 and insisted workers should go to work despite the dangers to their health. They also explained how, in workplaces where for years organising a trade union, let alone promoting strike action, was very difficult, now there is a heightened awareness of the need to organise. Where previously bosses tried to promote the idea that “we are one big happy family”, workers have begun to see through this as it has become evident that their lives are considered less valuable than company profits.

The meeting was broadcast on YouTube with an English translation of the proceedings (posted below). The meeting issued an appeal to the workers of the world in which they state: “...we must unite across borders and build a coordinated effort of the workers of the world. With united, international workers’ action we can force the capitalists to back off and accept our legitimate demands.”

We are publishing the appeal here, together with the list of original signatories to the Italian appeal. We call on workers from all countries to add their names to this appeal and circulate it among their work colleagues and in their unions. Workers in all countries are being forced to choose between their health and their jobs. This is exposing the real ugly face of capitalism. The problem is an international one and the response must be international. An injury to one is an injury to all. Workers of all countries unite!

Sign the appeal below to show your solidarity!

Current signatories:

[Note: the sectors within the CGIL, the main trade union confederation are as follows: FIOM (metalworkers); FILT (transport); NIDIL (casual workers); FLAI (agro-industrial); FILCAMS (retail, tourism, services); FLC (education); FP (health and public sector); SPI (retired workers); FISAC (banks, insurances); FILCTEM (chemical, textile, energy); FILLEA (wood industry). SI Cobas, USB Gilda are other trade unions]

Mario Iavazzi (National Council CGIL), Paolo Brini (Central Committee FIOM-CGIL), Antonio Forlano (Shop-steward UPS Milano, National Council FILT-CGIL), Irene Forno (National Council NIDIL-CGIL), Gianplacido Ottaviano (Shop-steward Bonfiglioli Bologna, General Assembly FIOM-CGIL), Paolo Grassi (General Assembly NIDIL-CGIL), Margherita Colella (General Assembly Emilia Romagna), Davide Ledda (Regional Council FIOM-CGIL Emilia Romagna), Federico Toscani (leadership FILCAMS-CGIL Parma), Pierugo Sorbo (General Assembly FLAI-CGIL Parma), Filippo Agazzi (Shop-steward GGI Spa FIOM-CGIL Parma), Ferdinando De Marco (ER Sistemi Sano Polo di Torrile FIOM Parma), Daniele Chiavelli (General Assembly FLC-CGIL Mantova), Domenico Loffredo (FIAT-FCA Pomigliano, Leadership FIOM-CGIL Campania), Vincenzo Chianese (Shop-steward Ergom, leadership FIOM-CGIL Campania), Vittorio Saldutti (leadership FLC-CGIL Napoli), Luca Paltrinieri (Shop-steward Netscout, leadership FIOM-CGIL Modena), Giuseppe Violante (Shop-steward Maserati, leadership FIOM-CGIL Modena), Matteo Parlati (Shop-steward Ferrari, leadership FIOM-CGIL Modena), Giuseppe Faillace (Shop-steward Motovario, leadership FIOM-CGIL Modena), Simona Leri (Shop-steward Coop Alleanza 3.0, leadership CGIL Modena), Luca d’Angelo (Shop-steward TR, leadership FIOM-CGIL Modena), Davide Bacchelli (shop-steward IMA Bologna, leadership FIOM-CGIL Emilia Romagna), Gian Pietro Montanari (Shop-steward Toyota FIOM-CGIL Bologna), Gianluca Sita (Shop-steward IMA, General Assembly FIOM-CGIL Bologna), Domenico Minadeo (Shop-steward Metaltarghe, General Assembly FIOM-CGIL Bologna), Massimo Pieri (Shop-steward TAS spa Casalecchio di Reno leadership FIOM-CGIL Bologna), Nico Maman (leadership FP-CGIL Bologna), Laura Minadeo (General Assembly FILCAMS-CGIL Bologna), Emanuele Miraglia (leadership NIDIL-CGIL Bologna), Luca Ibattici (Shop-steward SPAL, leadership FIOM-CGIL Reggio Emilia), Marco Mussini (Shop-steward Corghi Correggio, leadership FIOM-CGIL Reggio Emilia), Davide Tognoni (Shop-steward FP-CGIL Comune di Rolo Reggio Emilia), Ilic Vezzosi (leadership CGIL Emilia Romagna), Marco Paterlini (leadership FLC-CGIL Reggio Emilia), Nensi Castro (Shop-steward Rsa CNA Reggio Emilia), Gianluca Pietri (Shop-steward Istituto Russell, Guastalla, Reggio Emilia), Christian Febbraro (Shop-steward DGS Spa, leadership FIOM-CGIL Genova), Giannantonio Currò (Leadership FLC-CGIL Genova), Paola Agostrini (General Assembly FLC-CGIL Genova), Franco Ferrara (SPI-CGIL Genova), Diego Sabelli (Shop-steward ELT, General Assembly FIOM-CGIL Lazio), Giordano Amato (leadership NIDIL-CGIL Roma est), Marco Carletti (leadership FISAC-CGIL Lazio), Irene Caporale (General Assembly FISAC-CGIL Lazio), Nicola Di Sarli (General Assembly FISAC-CGIL Roma Nord), Mirko Sighel (Leadership CGIL Trentino), Davide Fiorini (Leadership NIDIL-CGIL Trieste), Chiara Massimello (Leadership NIDIL-CGIL Trentino), Angelo Raimondi (Shop-steward FILCAMS-CGIL Esselunga Corbetta-Milano), Elena Mondini (Shop-steward UPS Vimodrone Milano, leadership FILT-CGIL), Cinzia Crespi (Shop-steward UPS Vimodrone Milano leadership FILT-CGIL), Barbara Lietti (leadership Lombardia FP-CGIL), Francesca Esposito (Leadership FILT-CGIL Lombardia), Joan Valdiviezo (Shop-steward FILT-CGIL Italgroup UPS Milano), Jeisson Zuniga (Shop-steward FILT-CGIL Planet Cantiere UPS Milano), Fiammetta Fossati (Shop-steward FIOM-CGIL Etipack Milano), Antonio Mangione (Shop-steward, Health & safety steward Appalti ferroviari FILT-CGIL Milano), Serenella Ricci (General Assembly Lombardia FISAC-CGIL), Lorenzo Esposito (Shop-steward Rsa Banca D’Italia Milano), Sergio Schneider (Shop-steward scuola Leadership FLC-CGIL Milano), Tomaso Perani (Shop-steward Università Statale Milano, General Assembly Milano FLC-CGIL), Arianna Mancini Azienda Sanitaria Locale Roma2, Paolo Erba (Shop-steward Bayercropscience Filago FILCTEM CGIL Bergamo), Saragnese Giuseppe (Nurse Asst-pg23 Bergamo, Leadership FP-CGIL Lombardia), Alessandro Cornelli (Health & safety steward 2BA Srl Grassobbio Bergamo), Alessandro Albarani (Secretariat FLAI CGIL Modena), Viviana Danzi (FILCAMS CGIL Roma), Alessandro Desantis, Marcello Altobelli, Valentino Moscarelli, Emiliano Calicchia (Henkel Italia Srl, Ferentino Fr), Ciro Palmieri, Tiziana Michelini, Giuseppe Romano (Shop-steward Motovario, Formigine Modena), Paolo Petremma (Rsa FIOM-CGIL Ferrari), Antonio Varatta (Azienda Ospedaliera Parma, USB), Gabriele Chiappini (Shop-steward/Health & safety steward PMPN Piacenza, CGIL), Lucio Teperino (Annovi Reverberi Shop-steward/Health & safety steward CGIL), Massimo De Rosa (Rsa Ferrario, Leadership FIOM CGIL Modena), Gennaro Sorrentino (Titan Italia, Finale Emilia, Leadership FIOM CGIL Modena), RSA Si COBAS Memc Spa Novara, Giuseppe Amodeo (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Bosch Rexroth Nonantola Modena), Anna Maria Sabattini (Shop-steward SAU Spa Polinago Modena), Sara Manfredi (Rsa CONAD Reggio Emilia), Giuseppe Gomini (Shop-steward FIOM Ducati Motor, General Assembly FIOM Bologna), Anna Prezioso (Shop-steward FIOM Bologna), Gianfranco Rulli, Matteo Parenti (ERsistemi Srl San Polo di Torrile Pr), Matteo Tassi (Sidel Parma, FIOM CGIL), Carmela Cicatiello (Bologna), Alessandra Pisano (Teacher, Istituto Cesaris Casalpusterlengo Piacenza), Salvatore D’Ambrosio (Metalworker Flowserve Marcianise Caserta), Pasqua Miceli (Teacher Roma), Stephen Ferrario (Carpenter UNIA Canton Ticino, Switzerland), Loredana Donnici (Hospital Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, FP-CGIL Bologna), Giovanni Pio Congi (Retired, Roma), Alfonso Capodicasa (Retired, Pescara), Salvatore Romano (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Electrolux Leadership FIOM, General Assembly CGIL Forlì), Luca Lanzi (Shop-steward Manitou, Leadership FIOM CGIL Modena), Claudio Bacolini (Shop-steward FP-CGIL Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli Bologna), Maurizio Muzzioli (General Assembly FISAC CGIL Modena), Fabio Pavone (Shop Steward Rsa FP CGIL Villa Baruzziana Bologna), Gianmaria Venturi (Shop-steward Rsa USI Coopservice Scpa Roma), Massimiliano Mezzatesta (Neurology Nurse Asst Bergamo Est, Hospital. Bolognini, Seriate), Nicola Bigi (Asotech Sant’Ilario d’Enza), Giovanni Mazza (Shop-steward/Health & safety steward FILCAMS CGIL Esselunga Milano), Pasquale Federico (Radiology Technician Rsa FP-CGIL private health care Bologna), Manuela Ferri (Leadership FIOM-CGIL Eva Roma), Agnese Palma (Secretariat FISAC Pomezia Castelli), Riccardo Tranquilli (Leadership FISAC-CGIL Roma Lazio), Marta Tropeano (Dott.ssa Pedagogist Parma), Ivano Papa (Leadership FISAC CGIL Civitavecchia Roma Nord, VT), Mariarosaria Fortunato (Educator Coop Sociale Parma), Riccardo Baglivo (UPS Roma Bandinelli), Stefano Gorelli (contractor UPS, FILT-CGIL Firenze), Camelia Dragusin (Spizzico Autogrill, Modena), Pietro Sassi (Heavy Duty Fitness Milano), Corrado Calvo (Teacher, Fornovo Taro Parma), Andrea Fogli (Sculptor and writer, Roma), Nicola Sgarzi (Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli FP-CGIL Bologna), Romana Paolini (Directafin Roma), Braga Barbara (FILCAMS-CGIL Vigevano Pavia), Luca Pezza (Shop-steward/Health & safety steward Michelin, FILCTEM-CGIL Milano), Antonio Esposito (Comdata INPS Marcianise Caserta), Dario Panico (Mercitalia Shunting & Terminal Ferrovie dello Stato Milano), Emanuele Rossi (Shop-steward FIOM Ciden Cappella Cantone, CR), Andrea Bonfanti (PHD student, Wuhan University China), Luca Tremaliti (marittimo, National Council FILT-CGIL), Giovanna Pesci consultant FAO-ONU Roma), Matteo Righi (medico di continuità assistenziale, Ausl Reggio Emilia), Andrea Davolo (psicologist, psicotherapist FP-CGIL Ausl Parma), Orietta Piazza (Comune di Parma, FP-CGIL), Rocco Rosignoli (musician Parma), Emanuele Tragni (manovratore Azienda Trasporti Milano, FILT CGIL), Marcello Fossi (IMA Shop-steward, FIOM CGIL Bologna), Manuele Collina (IMA Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Bologna), Michele Rizzato (Valvosider Srl Shop-steward, Leadership FIOM CGIL Vercelli-Valsesia), Francesca Fazzi (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Spal Automotive Correggio Reggio Emilia), Concetta Cucci (Shop-steward/Health & safety steward FIOM CGIL Spal Automotive), Vincenzo De Filippo (Leadership FIOM CGIL Benevento), Maddalena Zarenghi (Educator Parma), Irene Ferrari (Educator, servizio integrazione scolastica Parma), Giacomo Zanoni (worker paper-making industry, Varese), Massimiliana Piro (Biblioteca Centrale Parthenope, ambientalista Napoli), Antonio Maccariello (FIOM Bonfiglioli Riduttori Bologna), Andrea Montanari (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Tenax International Rio Saliceto Reggio Emilia), Simone Zambelli (Shop-steward/Health & safety steward STM Riduttori Bologna), Maria Tzortzi (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Randstad Guide Museo Ducati Bologna), Giuseppe Epifani (Shop-steward Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Coord. Comitato Iscritti FP-CGIL), Tiziana Sessa (Teacher Milano), Rosa Lo Nigro (Galleria Borghese Roma), Francesco Tagliani (Rsa Health & safety steward, T’Per Bologna FILT-CGIL Emilia Romagna), Davide Serri (Motovario FIOM CGIL Formigine Modena), Gianmarco Scaini (Ausl Bologna, Leadership FP-CGIL Bologna), Ferra Rosetta (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Almaviva Contact, president leadership FIOM CGIL Roma Est), Francesca Caratelli (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Almaviva Contact Roma), Ambra Pinna (Shop-steward FIOM CGIL Almaviva Contact Roma), Marica Biagini (Shop-steward Ospedale Sant’Orsola Malpighi Bologna, General Assembly FP-CGIL Emilia Romagna), Antonio Delli Paoli (Shop-steward Sirti Spa Casandrino, Leadership FIOM Napoli), Paolo Rinaldi Shop-steward FIOM Stilma spa Campogalliano Modena), Licia Faggella (Policlinico S. Orsola Bologna), Saverio Rossi (AMA, Rolo Reggio Emilia), Elena Clemente (scuola dell’infanzia, Istituto comprensivo Torino II, Gilda), Alessio Francesconi (Driver TPL romano, CGIL), Antonio Gatti (Shop-Steward Fillea-CGIL Sant’Angelo Lodigiano), Laurenzano Domenica (worker at Esselunga), Marco Barbi (FP-CGIL social services Comune di Modena), Ruggero Forniti (RSA FISAC-CGIL Nexi Payments Roma), Chiara Gabrielli (Teacher on temporary contract FLC-CGIL Parma), Gianluca Barone (worker at Coop alleanza 3.0 San Lazzaro Bologna), Mirko Martinelli (Shop-steward Coop Alleanza 3.0 Modena), Firetto Daniele e Lorenzo Baldo (Shop-stewards FILCAMS-CGIL Rsa Sicuritalia Roma), Stefano Quaglia (Teacher, primary school on temporary contract I.C. Parma), Giusy Castra (nursery educator Comune di Bologna), Barbara Ravasio (educator and coreographer, Milano), Anna Russo (educator Parma), Mario Cannata (Ognibene Mancasale RE), Silvia Vassallo (educator Verona), Manuela Ciambellini (psichologist, Modena), Pietro Previtera (teacher, Parma), Sara Vaccari (NIDIL-CGIL Modena), Michelangelo Fiore (Corsico, Milano), Emanuela Ranalli (office worker, Ortona CH), Marco Giorgis (worker, local authority), Nicola Roberto Macri, Anna Pierpaola Gallo, Chiara Meraglia, Luca Cinquegrana (postal workers Roma), Gianluca Croce (Dipartiment of Architectural Environmental and Civil Engineering, Università Studi Trieste), Pietro Paolo Palumbo (educator cooperativa Proges Parma), Massimo Boggian (Shop-steward FIOM Bologna), Alessio Falulera (metalworker), Francesca Parlati (unemployed, Parma), Vincenzo Saracino (worker, paint-making industry), Bruno Petrarca (Teacher on temporary contract), Luigi Negretti (Lanner, Roma), Guglielmo Pagnozzi (Musician, Bologna), Federico Picerni (Phd Student Venezia), Giuseppe Renga (Shop-steward FIOM-CGIL Leonardo, Laurentina Roma), Gianluca Bonafaccia (Shop-steward Aartee distribuzione Italia Roma), Roberto Ripamonti (operatore sicurezza sul lavoro, Crema), Paolo Moretti (Nurse ASST, cardiology/utic, USB, Crema), Francesco Favalli (educator cooperativa sociale, Crema), Alfonso Della Rosa (Giorgio Fanti Bologna), Teresa Capacchione (Associazione Sergio Piro), Mauro Patroni (Aizoon Roma), Claudio Piazzai (TIM-open access SLC-CGIL), Raffaele Salinas (ospedale Monaldi A.O. dei Colli Napoli), Antonio Cennamo (IT Wash Acerra Napoli), Lorenzo Zizzi (Metalworker Bologna), Papandrea Alessandro (Employee Automobile Club Reggio Emilia), Jone D'Angelo (Artesan/barber, Augusta, Siracusa), Michele Tonetto (sport trainer Treviso), Mastrangelo Raffaele (retired, Barcelona ES), Enrico Barba (social worker Gorizia), Francesca Scalise (Como), Lazzaro Laura (Segretary, Roma)