“The Fire Brigade is the least paid of all the State Corps. Despite their extremely risky work, Fire Brigades do not benefit from any form of insurance for accidents at work and occupational diseases, unlike any other public or private worker, with pensions that will be starvation wages,” territorial secretary Carmine Cristiano, raises the alarm about the Naples command and the structural and personnel deficiencies: “The Naples Command suffers from deficiencies due to the devastating cuts that have occurred over the years, deficiencies that concern clothing, vehicles, protections; the structures are falling apart and the downward tenders worsen the serious existing situations, undermining the safety and health of the Fire Brigade almost as much as the risk they run during rescue operations.” Not to mention the issue of fires and blazes, problems “particularly felt by the Neapolitan Fire Brigade, forced for decades to operate in the so-called “Land of Fires,” exposed by duty to an incredible quantity of pollutants and toxic particles due to combustion; harmful agents, let it be clear, present in all the combustions that the Firefighters deal with”. “By now we Firefighters live aware that at any moment a terrible disease can strike us – says Cristiano -. Without protection before or after and in the deafening, negligent and guilty silence of everyone, from the Department to politics, for them it is better to keep their heads in the sand and leave the burden of proof to the worker that his beloved and damned job is the cause of illness and death”.
For these reasons and as a sign of strong protest, the expert team leader Antonello Di Malta, union leader Uil Pa Vigili del Fuoco, has decided to strike on a desert island until the voice of the Firefighters is heard.
"I chose Lampione, a small island 200 meters long and 180 meters wide, to symbolize the isolation of the Firefighters despite the nice words reserved for them after each tragedy, only to forget about them immediately afterwards and until the new emergency - Di Malta said before leaving - It is not moral to abuse the Firefighters in this way. They have tried in every way to delegitimize the union, trying to distance the workers from the only real instrument of protection they have.
I am here to demonstrate that Uil Pa Vigili del Fuoco is here and is more determined than ever in protecting the rights of Firefighters".
The UIL PA Fire Department Territorial Secretariat of Naples expresses closeness and solidarity to colleague Antonello Di Malta on the fourth day of isolation: “Come on Antonello, UIL and the Fire Department are with you” they write in a statement.
Article published on 29 October 2018 - 19:03
