Paternò: Carabinieri to protect workers, 4 reports and sanctions.

During the course of carrying out checks aimed at ensuring compliance with workplace safety regulations and preventing and combating criminal conduct in this sector, including the so-called “gangmaster” phenomenon, the military personnel of the Adrano Station, together with their colleagues from the Catania Labor Inspectorate, reported 4 people because they were deemed responsible for violations related to the obligations of the employer and the manager, the training of workers, as well as for having employed “illegal” workers and for “exploitation of labor”.

In particular, the Carabinieri inspection activity involved two companies in Paternò that deal with the cultivation, harvesting and sale of citrus products.
In this context, the military found that three local men aged 69, 39 and 43, all relatives, two of whom were partners and one a collaborator of an agricultural company, were exploiting the work of a foreigner, who was also illegally resident in Italy, underpaying him and making him work entire days in the fields.

The inspection also revealed that 2 of the workers present were undeclared and that those regularly employed had not only not received adequate training in workplace safety, but had not even been subjected to mandatory health surveillance, i.e. the set of medical procedures that protect the health and safety of employees, in relation to professional risk factors, the work environment and the way in which the professional activity is carried out.

All three, therefore, were reported to the Judicial Authority and a large fine of more than €13.600 was imposed on them, with the consequent recovery of €1.000 of INPS and INAIL contributions.
The Carabinieri then went to the business of a 47-year-old local agricultural entrepreneur, where the workers had not been subjected to the required health surveillance and, therefore, in addition to the criminal complaint, the man was fined €1.450.

The targeted campaign to combat the exploitation of workers and the phenomenon of "gangmastering", ordered by the Catania Carabinieri, in synergy with the Carabinieri of the Labor Inspectorate Unit - NIL, will continue throughout the province of Catania - and in particular in rural areas - also in the coming months and has already led, in the last year alone, to important operational results.

In the over 30 companies checked so far, the presence of over 55 irregular workers and 45 undeclared workers has been ascertained, including 7 non-EU citizens. In addition, following targeted info-investigative activities, the NIL of Catania has also carried out 2 arrests in execution of a precautionary custody order issued by the GIP of the Court of Catania and 3 reports for gangmastering, to which are added another 6 referrals for violations of safety in the workplace.