Aci Sant'Antonio and Aci Catena: two agricultural entrepreneurs reported with fines exceeding 3.000 euros for labor exploitation.

As part of the intensification of prevention services arranged by the Provincial Command of Catania, aimed at counteract not only widespread illegality, but also to ensure compliance with the regulations on safety in the workplace and in terms of social legislation, the Carabinieri of Catania are carrying out a series of targeted services throughout the Etna province, also with the support of colleagues from the NIL Labour Inspectorate Unit, to prevent the hateful phenomenon of illicit intermediation and exploitation of labour, the so-called “gangmaster”, which mainly involves foreign migrants.

In particular, this time the investigations involved 2 agricultural companies, one based in Aci Sant'Antonio and one in Aci Catena, engaged in those campaigns for the citrus harvest which, during this season, reaches its peak.

In this context, the NIL soldiers together with those of the Aci Sant'Antonio and Viagrande station, first placed under their magnifying glass the company of a 62 year old originally from Aci Catena, with headquarters in the Sciare district of Aci Sant'Antonio, where they found the presence of 2 "illegal" workers and the lack of the required health surveillance for regularly employed workers.

Furthermore, the entrepreneur had not appointed anyone responsible for the prevention and protection service in the workplace, therefore a fines totaling €7.500 were imposed on him, with recovery of INPS/INAIL contributions amounting to €6.000.

At the Aci Catena company, however, run by a 50-year-old local, the Carabinieri have identified 1 illegal worker. Furthermore, the owner was reported to the Judicial Authority because was unable to prove the payment of employee wages and for false registration in the LUL Single Labor Register, mandatory for production and labor cooperative companies when they establish a specific employment relationship of a subordinate nature or coordinated and continuous collaboration.

Furthermore, the 50-year-old was fined fines of €3.500, with recovery of INPS/INAIL contributions for €1000.

The services on the phenomenon of worker exploitation ordered by the Provincial Command of Catania, in synergy with the Carabinieri of the Labor Inspectorate Unit – NIL, will continue throughout the citrus fruit campaign and have already led, in the last year alone, to important operational results. In the over 48 companies checked, in fact, the presence of 55 irregular workers and 45 illegal workers was ascertained, including 6 non-EU citizens.

In addition, following targeted information-investigative activities, the NIL of Catania also carried out 2 arrests in execution of a precautionary custody order issued by the GIP of the Court of Catania and 3 complaints for gangmastering, to which are added another 10 referrals for violations of safety in the workplace.