Ex-Blutec at Termini Imerese, 183 workers heading for retirement

It was, they say, the last piece that was missing to reach the goal of relaunching the former Blutec plant in Termini Imerese in the province of Palermo and thus the entire industrial area. Thus the green light from the government of the Sicilian region led by Renato Schifani for 30 million euros from the European Social Fund to close the dispute through active policy measures and accompanying the exodus of 183 workers out of 523 still in the redundancy fund.

The key word in this case is isopension for the 183 workers that the industrial plan of the Pelligra group, which won the tender for the reconversion of the plant, considers 'surplus', while the remaining 350 will be hired with the Region's commitment to support their retraining. A solution identified after months of negotiations and shared by all the parties involved that makes the President of the Region say: "With this measure we are definitively closing a story full of uncertainties for the workers of the former Blutec plant and their families, who will no longer live with the spectre of unemployment and precariousness. We will accompany to early retirement those who will not be hired by the Pelligra group, averting the risk of collective redundancy. No one will be left to their own devices, as has been the case for too long; today a new era begins for Termini Imerese. Today we can say that we have reversed course: we have found the industrial area of Termini Imerese abandoned to itself, submerged by false promises and the prospect of degradation, we have worked to find a real solution and now, finally, there is an industrial group intent on relaunching the site by stimulating the economic growth of the entire area and, an equally important result, we have guaranteed a future for all the workers. Commitment and strategies for the development of our island: this is the figure of the government that I have the honour to lead'.

And Adolfo Urso, Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy: 'It was the last piece that was missing and that we agreed with the president of the region, Mr Schifani, whom I thank, for the project to revive the industrial site of Termini Imerese after more than 12 years of lay-off,' he says. 'We have found the solution to make that place an industrial propulsion centre again, and all the workers who had been laid off for more than a decade will have a solution. No one will be left behind. This is the model we are bringing to our country'.

In fact, the group headed by Italian-Australian entrepreneur Ross Pelligra can now enter the operational phase.

"The objective now is to continue along this path, closely monitoring the implementation of the measures envisaged, so that these resources can be translated into real and tangible opportunities for all the workers involved,' says Regional Councillor for Productive Activities Edy Tamajo. 'This result is the fruit of synergetic work, carried out with determination by the Schifani government and my department in synergy with the Labour Department. I also want to thank Minister Urso and President Schifani for their effective collaboration that has made it possible to achieve this goal. Today we are giving workers a concrete guarantee for their future, demonstrating that politics, when it works with seriousness and commitment, can really make a difference'.