US shutdown, BCCs advance salaries to Aviano employees

The shutdown - the freezing of non-essential government activities pending refinancing by Congress - which in the United States grounded over 700 flights on 7 November, also has repercussions in Italy.

Since 30 October, an estimated 409 workers at the Usaf Base in Aviano (Pordenone) employed by the US State have not been paid their salaries. A situation that would also affect another thousand workers in the rest of Italy.

A solution has now been found for them thanks to the Cooperative Credit Bank system of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, which has made itself available to activate a specific ceiling of resources to grant financing for the Aviano base employees who, at the moment, are not being paid their wages due to the shutdown. "This proposal is a 'quick' solution, albeit temporary, to guarantee liquidity to the workers, thus giving them a tangible signal in a short time," said the regional councillor for productive activities, Sergio Emidio Bini, opening his speech during the assembly with the civilian employees of the USAF base in Aviano.

In the presence of the mayor of Aviano Tassan Zanin and the representatives of the trade unions, the regional executive's representative anticipated a solution that was the result of close talks with the governor Massimiliano Fedriga and the regional councillor for labour Alessia Rosolen, a few minutes before entering the assembly. 'Today we are here not only to show our solidarity,' Bini said, 'but also to listen, propose and act.

The regional councillor therefore expressed the Region's closeness at a time of great difficulty experienced by families. Bini then announced an extraordinary intervention developed by the Region in collaboration with Friuli Venezia Giulia's cooperative credit banks, aimed at guaranteeing a breath of fresh air for the workers involved.