Two More Victims of Italy’s Workplace Deaths ‘Massacre’

Rome: Two more workers were killed in accidents in Italy on Tuesday, raising the number of fatal labour-related accidents to five in less than two days, continuing a long series of workplace deaths. “What we are facing is a massacre, not an emergency,” said Maurizio Landini, the leader of the CGIL trade union. “People continue to die because health and safety is considered a cost. Profit counts, not the person. The person has become a machine.”

According to Ansa News Agency, a 62-year-old man died after being hit by a vehicle while unloading goods in the yard of the company where he worked in Carpiano, near Milan, early on Tuesday. The UIL trade union mentioned that the man had retired but had been forced to find a job at a logistics centre because the cost-of-living crisis meant his pension was no longer sufficient.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old construction worker died after falling from scaffolding in the Lambrate district of Milan. On Monday, a worker was electrocuted in the Ciociaria area between Rome and Naples, a construction worker fell to his death near Naples, and another worker was killed at a metal plant in Veneto.

Premier Giorgia Meloni announced that her government was allocating 650 million euros in new funds to enhance workplace health and safety before the May Day national holiday last week. The government is scheduled to meet with trade unions on Thursday to discuss health and safety issues.

Workplace accident insurance agency INAIL reported on Monday that work-related deaths had increased by 8.37% to 205 in the first quarter of the year.