Gangmastering: Archbishop Salerno, entrepreneurs should reflect on the Satman affair

Satnam Singh's death "is a shocking story that I hope will give pause to many people, not just the institutions but also our entrepreneurs, those who must provide work that respects the dignity of each person and ensure that these people have all the guarantees to carry out their work in complete safety, with all the necessary guarantees under labor legislation."

This was stated by the Archbishop of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno, Monsignor Andrea Bellandi, in a video interview addressing the case of Satnam Singh, the 31-year-old Indian laborer who lost an arm in a work-related accident and bled to death. This incident has refocused attention on the phenomenon of gangmastering, a deeply felt issue in the Diocese governed by Archbishop Bellandi, which includes the Piana del Sele.

"It's unthinkable that in 2024, such inhumane attitudes still exist," the archbishop added, "contrary to the dignity of every person and thus against every vision of life and respect, which should be shown toward every person, especially those who have come from far away to seek work, to seek a better life. People who, in fact, wanted to integrate, so much so that even his wife moved with him."

According to Monsignor Bellandi, "this is an incident that has no justification whatsoever and must not be ignored, because it is the tip of the iceberg of the often inhumane treatment of these people who desperately need work and who, for this very reason, accept jobs that are even underpaid and often illegal. Illegal labor, gangmastering, and near-slavery are phenomena that should not even be considered in our Western world."