Naples, “Go vote for your children”: the appeal of Patrizio Spasiano's mother

Naples – “Go vote for your children and grandchildren. Patrizio was one of them. Do it for their future.”

It is the heartfelt cry of Simona Esposito, mother of Patrizio Spasiano, the young 22-year-old intern who died on the job last January 10th at Frigo Caserta in Gricignano d'Aversa, during an emotional speech at the demonstration for the Yes vote in the referendum on work, held in Naples.

On the stage set up in the square, among trade unionists, activists and workers, the woman's words moved those present and brought the issue of safety at work and the protection of the rights of the youngest back to the center of public debate.

“My son left home that morning to learn a trade and build a future for himself,” he said, “but he came home in a coffin. He wasn’t a student, he wasn’t an employee, he was an intern. He had no protections, he didn’t have a real contract, and yet he was working.”

The speech concluded with a strong invitation to participate in the vote on June 8 and 9: “Go there to change things, to prevent other young people from dying while looking for an opportunity”.

After Simona Esposito's speech, the national secretary of the Cgil, Maurizio Landini, took the floor and reiterated the need for a profound reform of the labor system: "We can no longer accept that in Italy people die during an internship. Referendums are a democratic tool to say enough to precariousness and ask for real rights for all workers".

The initiative is part of the mobilization phases in view of the four referendum questions promoted by the Cgil, which aim to repeal some rules considered harmful to workers' rights, including reinstatement in cases of unlawful dismissal, the abolition of vouchers, the elimination of indiscriminate fixed-term contracts and a crackdown on safety in the workplace.

In memory of Patrizio, the square gathered around his family and relaunched the message that has accompanied Simona Esposito's battle for months: "No one should die for working."