On May 7 and 8 the warehouse workers of the GRESCO-cartel's cooperatives
went on streiks and blocked the traffic of goods in three branches in Rome and Teverola.
All workers, even if employed by different cooperatives,
which hold back part of the money for the administration,
work, in fact, for just one single multinational company:
the corporation for express transport and logistics services TNT.
Thanks to the subcontracting by cooperatives TNT -
like many other multinational companies -
can reduce costs, avoids contract responsiblities and potential image damage.
In that way, it can use contracts with conditions
that do not comply with state laws.
I am a worker from the TNT warehouse in Via di Salone.
I have been working there for 7 years.
However, many things don't work out. The wage.
And neither the TFR (severance pay).
After 3 years they changed the cooperative, and the TFR was very low:
After 3 years I got 1,219 euros!
No holiday, no sickness pay, they do not pay a lot.
However, it is hard work. And a low wage. Now they pay me 629 euros.
Therefore, we need organize this strike which is important to us.
The strike at TNT started in Piacenza in 2011 when workers started
to self-organize within the union S.I.Cobas
in order enforce the compliance with the national collective agreement (CCNL)
and the end of the cooperatives' system.
Starting in the warehouses in the North, the struggle has expanded
into Lazio and Campania
where the new agreement was not implemented at first.
In order to put pressure on the companies the workers decide
to go on strike on May 7 and 8 and block the trucks at the warehouse gates.
Now we take over! We have the power.
Tomorrow at 2 or 3 we have to be at her place (the GRESCO representative's)
so that she makes the payment.
And even if we stop today we have to close it next week.
After moments of tension we finally reach the agreement.
"Following the demands you have put forward at the last meeting
the signing cooperative expresses its willingness
to accept 100 percent of the contractural obligations to the workers after May 1, 2014.
The calculations of these will also include the hours not worked
insofar as these differ from the working hours guaranteed in the contract."
It does not state here that they propose to meet soon because that is not necessary anymore.
At 9:36pm there was a message from Barbati (GRESCO representative) who writes:
"In the name of the GRESCO consortium the signer declares that
the cooperatives LOG OUT and DELTA
will treat their workers/members equally in economic terms..."
And here is still another mistake...
"and if the differing fund is dissolved the consortium will devide the orders
between two cooperatives so that all orders for TNT branches
in Rome and around will be going to one single cooperative."
In order to support the picket of the warehouse workers drivers from GLS come by
who are struggling against another logistics company.
People, drivers from GLS in Castel di Leva,
whatever happens, you can fully count on us.
In our contracts it says "transport and logistics".
You depend on us, and we depend on you.
So we are all brothers and sisters.
In the following days contracts get signed with improved conditions.
Increase of the direct and indirect wages (food coupons for the canteen),
compliance with the work obligations and working hours.
Solidarity is a weapon, united you win.
Clash City Workers - Metropolitan workers in struggle
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