In view of the October 24 meeting (repeatedly called for by local institutions) to be held at the Ministry of Economic Development in Rome, the City of Figline and Incisa Valdarno has organized a public meeting on Wednesday, October 16, to support Bekaert workers.
The meeting is set for 9 p.m. at the Cinema Nuovo in Figline (Via Roma 11), where trade union organizations, Mayor Giulia Mugnai, Tuscany Regional President Enrico Rossi will speak, and Figline and Incisa Valdarno City Council group leaders Umberto Ciucchi (Figline and Incisa in Comune), Lorenzo Naimi (M5S), Laura Orpelli (PD and Yes for Figline and Incisa), Silvio Pittori (Lega Figline and Incisa) and Cristina Simoni (Civic Lists Council Group for Figline and Incisa Valdarno). Also invited were the Minister of Economic Development, Stefano Patuanelli, all the mayors of the Metropolitan City of Florence, including Mayor Dario Nardella, Prefect Laura Lega, the mayors of the Florentine and Aretine Valdarno, all the regional councilors and all the city councilors of Figline and Incisa Valdarno.
Nearly three months after the last meeting on the Bekaert dispute, which was held in Rome at the Ministry of Economic Development last July 17, the goal is tokeep the focus on the Figlino plant high, since the layoff fund will expire on Dec. 31 for the 220 workers who have not yet been relocated.
"In recent months I have met several times with Bekaert workers, and at the moment we are all waiting for answers about reindustrialization," explains Mayor Giulia Mugnai, on which there are still no certainties. This is why it is important to keep the attention of public opinion and all the institutional levels involved high, including through meetings like the one that will be held on Wednesday evening. In addition, Wednesday's meeting, which is open to everyone, is functional to send a message, in view of the ministerial table that will be held in Rome on October 24, and that is to extend the layoff fund for the workers and, in parallel, to continue to work steadily to find investors who can invest in the Figlino plant. Our battle, therefore, continues to be to keep the industrial site active in the Valdarno area, which has already been hit hard by the economic crisis. This is the only way to protect workers and their skills, but above all to keep jobs active in the territory."
