Employment: Calderone says combating illegal labour recruitment requires a combination of monitoring and protection

The Prato case confirms that this makes a difference

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - “Combining vigilance and protection for whistleblowers can make all the difference”, and the Prato case is “proof” of this. This was emphasised by the Minister for Labour, Marina Calderone, in reference to the public prosecutor’s investigation in the Prato textile district, which led to the arrest of a businessman alleged to have exploited undocumented workers with shifts of up to 16 hours a day and wages of just a few cents.

"The results of the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s major operation in the Prato textile district – carried out with the support of joint task forces from the National Labour Inspectorate and the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Labour – demonstrate that the State is present and capable of providing pathways out of exploitation" says Calderone, emphasising “the unprecedented cooperation of the Chinese workers involved”: “If the evidence is confirmed, we will be able to apply the amended Article 18-ter of the Consolidated Law on Immigration to them, which allows those who report illegal recruitment practices to access protection, an inclusion allowance and support in finding work.”

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