Unheeded Instructions About Heat Safety: Half of Supervising Companies Fail to Adhere, According to Reports
Italy's Ongoing Crackdown on Illegal Labor Exploitation in Agriculture
The Italian government's nationwide extraordinary vigilance campaign against caporalato (illegal labor exploitation and gangmaster system) in the agricultural sector remains active, with recent inspections taking place in the province of Cuneo. This campaign is part of a broader effort to ensure transparency, legality, and workers’ rights in agricultural employment practices.
During the inspections, a total of 73 workers were checked, and it was found that 70 of them were foreign nationals. One of the illegally working workers was an illegal immigrant, for whom a deportation order was served. Five employers will be fined for irregularities discovered in their practices.
The company under scrutiny was found to be in a 'high risk' state due to high temperature and non-compliance with the regional ordinance that prohibits work between 12:30 and 16:00 for agricultural workers exposed to intense sun and physical activity. The company also failed to adhere to the "heat risk protocol".
Other irregularities included the recording of working hours that exceeded those in the Single Record Book, violations of the Unified Text on workplace safety, such as failure to conduct medical examinations to assess fitness for work and failure to provide worker training. The use of untraceable methods for payments was another violation uncovered.
Italy has been strengthening its legal framework to combat illegal labor exploitation by appointing commissioners to increase controls and pushing for laws guaranteeing certified labor supply chains. This wider national vigilance against caporalato includes provinces like Cuneo, a significant agricultural area.
The campaign was carried out by the Carabinieri, involving military personnel from the Arma and the Nucleus of the Labor Inspectorate. Italy continues to advance national legislation that promotes corporate responsibility and supply chain transparency, indirectly supporting anti-caporalato measures by making companies accountable for illegal subcontracting and labor abuses in their supply chains.
The ongoing campaign against caporalato is a testament to Italy's commitment to ensuring fair and legal employment practices in its agricultural sector, protecting the rights of workers, and fostering a more transparent and accountable business environment.
- The ongoing crackdown on illegal labor exploitation in Italy's agriculture, known as caporalato, is extending to health and wellness in the workplace, with the recent findings revealing non-compliance with regional ordinances regarding work hours and heat exposure, which could negatively impact the workers' health.
- In the realm of general news, the heightened scrutiny against caporalato in the agricultural workplace-wellness sector has led to the discovery of multiple infractions, such as failure to conduct medical examinations, lack of worker training, and use of untraceable payment methods, which are also associated with broader issues like crime and justice.
- As Italy advances its national legislation to promote corporate responsibility and supply chain transparency, the fight against caporalato in the agriculture industry could potentially expand to encompass science, specifically the field of workforce management, to help ensure better labor practices and prevent future instances of illegal labor exploitation.
