Ex Ilva, a decisive week opens in Taranto. What are the next deadlines

An intense week begins today for theformer Ilva of Taranto. Let’s start with it 8 hour strike called, as part of the national protest that concerns the entire group, by the unions Fim Cisl, Fiom Cgil, Uilm e USB, then from Tuesday to Thursday the four meetings take place at Mimit organized by the Minister of Enterprise Adolfo Urso and aimed at trade unions, local institutions and the business world.

It is certainly not the first time that the steelworks has experienced crucial days, but now there is a new factor: the decree of Court of Appeal of Milan which last Monday established the stop of thehot area of the Taranto steel industry, since it pollutes. In essence, in 90 days the former Ilva in Taranto will no longer be able to produce steel and therefore will not be able to supply the downstream plants, in the cold area, both in Taranto and in Genoa, Novi Ligure and Racconigi.

Method of protest

Today’s protest in Taranto will be structured as follows: first shift, 2 hours of assembly from 7 to 9 in the area in front of the works council and followed by 6 hours of strike until the end of the shift. The strike will instead last 8 hours in the second and third shifts. For the assembly, the unions asked the former Ilva, a Confindustria Taranto, Confapi Taranto and ad Aigi, the payment of 2 paid hours. Furthermore, with the same methods (2 initial hours of assembly, 6 of abstention from work in the first shift and 8 in the second and third), the protest of the construction workers belonging to CGIL, CISL and UIL who work in the steel industry will take place tomorrow.

Possible external initiatives

It cannot be ruled out that this morning, after the meeting, the protest could lead outside the steelworks. There have often been roadblocks on state roads in the past Appia (for Bari) e 106 (for Reggio Calabria) and demonstrations that also reached the city, blocking traffic.

Meetings at Mimit

As for the meetings at Mimit, as Urso anticipated in the video call of recent days with the institutions of Taranto and Puglia, they will be different. Specifically there will be four: August 4th at 10am with the unions; two on August 5, at 10 am Taranto table, “with the aim of examining the industrial projects presented by the subjects who have expressed interest in making new investments in the area”, and at 12 with Confindustria, Federacciai e Federmeccanica to “explore the prospects of the former Ilva plants” with the participation of the “main national steel companies”.

Participants at the tables

Finally, on 6 August at 10am it will be the turn of the associations representing the companies of the former Ilva sector in Taranto to examine “the production and industrial prospects of the site and the consequences on the local production system”. The Presidency of the Council, the Ministries of Economy, the Environment, European Affairs and Cohesion and Labor Policies, as well as Invitaliaand the commissioners Ilva and AdI. They will also be there at the Taranto Table meeting on the 5th Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Ionian Sea Port Authority, State Property Agency, Industrial development area of Taranto, as well as Confindustria Taranto, Casartigiani Taranto, Cna Brindisi-Taranto, Confapi Taranto, Confartigianato Taranto and Confagricoltura Taranto “together with the companies that have presented investment projects in the province of Taranto and in the surrounding areas”.