The words that the group leader of Forza Italia, Concetta Buonocore, pronounced in the city council towards the ATM workers caused chain reactions among the unions. Words, those of Buonocore, considered “absolutely out of place” by CGIL and Fp CGIL. «They worry us quite a bit – say Pietro Patti and Francesco Fucile –, considering that they do nothing but fuel a climate of hatred towards all the public workers of which the councilor is part».
FP Cgil and CGIL Messina intend to report what happened to the Regional Councilor for Labour, to the General Director of the same department and to the manager of the CPU of Messina: «They are the expression of a thought that Buonocore expresses in its role as a public official, with reference to the service it provides in its capacity as an employee of the Sicilian Region, in a delicate sector such as that of the labor market and social fragility».
The provincial secretariats of Fit Cisl, Faisa Cisal and Orsa, with a note, invited Buonocore to apologize to the workers “for the unfortunate statements that discredit those who work daily to provide essential services to citizens”. The use of the “dictatorial wand of memory which is prohibited even during the training phase of circus animals” was contested.
«We have to ask ourselves – they added – how the Councilor would react if at the Employment Centre, where she declared she worked, a small circle of privileged people were rewarded with 10,000 euros per capita (public money) at the sole discretion of the company, while common mortal workers suffer salary reductions on a monthly basis resulting from specious disciplinary measures distributed indiscriminately, requests for exorbitant compensation and calculations of arcane adjustments the details of which cannot be known.”
Buonocore herself tried to throw water on the fire: «I was misunderstood in my public role, someone perhaps didn’t understand the boundary line, others deliberately exploited my words. Since I also work in the public sector, and in particular I am employed at the Messina Employment Centre, I witness many cases of good, competent, virtuous and productive workers who every day run our institutions, administrations and investee companies. This is how the vast majority of ATM employees are, a company which today, it is objective to say, is effective and offers punctual and modern services, which were non-existent until a few years ago in Messina. Precisely out of the respect I have for the unions, I reiterate that it would not have been necessary to resort to anonymous tools to report any inconveniences and problems, but a healthier and more serene discussion and dialogue between the parties would have been enough.”
Forza Italia “colleague” Sara Di Ciuccio distances herself from Buonocore: «The councilor’s statements do not in any way reflect the position of the Forza Italia council group nor that of the party as a whole. These are personal opinions that I do not share and from which I firmly distance myself. In my opinion, the words expressed are out of place and disrespectful towards the workers, who every day guarantee the good functioning of the services and of our city with commitment and sacrifice. Anyone who holds a public role has the duty to promote dialogue, respect and cohesion, not to fuel divisions or diminish the value of work.”
Instead, Rete Civica Partecipazione shifts attention to the management of ATM. «We ask the Councilors – says Michele Barresi – to delve deeper into the budget numbers and better plan the resources to be allocated to local public transport, allocating the savings to social issues, culture, innovation and business support. Otherwise, useful resources for growth will continue to be lost.”