Training crucial for workers, says Italian docker Pezzolo
Training crucial for workers, says Italian docker Pezzolo
Four shipyard workers were killed Saturday when a scaffolding collapsed in Ustaoðlu Shipyard in Ereðli, a town of the northern province of Zonguldak.
The accident happened at around 4:30 p.m. when a scaffolding built in the cargo hold of a ship being repaired collapsed, causing six workers to plummet to the ship’s floor from a height of 15 meters.
Thirty-four-year-old Þenol Tönen, a father of two, 33-year-old Osman Yüksel, a father of three, and 37-year-old Mehmet Coþkun, a father of one, were reported dead at the scene, while Tuncay Güner died at the hospital. Injured workers Abdullah Fidan and Levent Çimen were taken to Ereðli Ekomar Hospital.
The bodies of the killed workers were taken to the Ereðli Ekomar Hospital morgue. An investigation has been started regarding the accident.
This latest incident has added to a long string of fatal shipyard accidents that have claimed more than 135 workers’ lives. The last fatal accident happened July 15, killing 36-year-old Nurettin Bingöl in Torlak Shipyard in Tuzla.
ANF has interviewed the historic leader of the dockers in Genova. The North West Italian city’s dockers are called ‘camalli’ and have staged important struggles above all for safety in the workplace. Amanzio Pezzolo is the dockers’ historic spokesperson. “When a comrade dies – he says – and it does not matter in which dock he dies, is not only the death of a worker. When a comrade dies with him dies a piece of a community”. Pezzolo has worked in the docks for 40 years. As for the miners, work is something that creates ties for the dockers as well. The work creates links, makes a community. And it is this, said Pezzolo, that scares the bosses, “the community is united and unity scares the bosses, who, generally speaking, - he adds – are always bad”. And unity is the tie the bosses want to break.
We have to admit that partly they have managed to break this tie.
There is no doubt that we are under a constant attack. Especially here in Genova where we have managed to establish some kind of self-governed system. The bosses are trying to eliminate, to progressively erose the workers’ rights. And they start with the right to be trained. And we know that training is crucial if not to avoid at least to limit the risks of incidents. In our job the risks of accident are very high. We are witnessing a free fall of the norms and rules which are being violated by privatization. Safety has been put in a corner. And we can see the consequences of this policy. The incident which happened in Zonguldak at the weekend is one of many.
In Italy, Genova, Marghera, Monfalcone docks have tried to create some sort of inter-ports connection. Indeed this link was tried to be formed at an international level. Genova hosted an international conference where unions and workers came together to try and create this relation among ports. What is happening now?
We tried in several Italian ports to reach an agreement on safety but the ports are divided, fragmented and it is difficult to make agreements. I’m working in the docks for 40 years but I have never seen such a divided port, such a not communicating port. In other words we are witnessing a situation in the ports which is the opposite of what a port should be. The terminals are separated by iron, gates. Incredible, it looks more like a military zone.
Training is crucial in this work.
Definitively. We are asking for the opening a professional school for ages. It is crucial that the people who enter the dock work is prepared, well trained. The workers must know what they are doing because the risks are high. We need new laws to protect the safety of workers. It is important that workers reclaim the idea of right. People should once again believe and state that our rights are non negotiable. There is no possible negotiation on people’s rights. Fragmentation of work, sub contractor work, short term contracts, are making workers more vulnerable. The unions have a big work to do but they are still a bit slow. People should reclaim their rights. Together with this there is the discourse on development. We should not accept development tout court. A development model must take into account the rights of workers.
The accident happened at around 4:30 p.m. when a scaffolding built in the cargo hold of a ship being repaired collapsed, causing six workers to plummet to the ship’s floor from a height of 15 meters.
Thirty-four-year-old Þenol Tönen, a father of two, 33-year-old Osman Yüksel, a father of three, and 37-year-old Mehmet Coþkun, a father of one, were reported dead at the scene, while Tuncay Güner died at the hospital. Injured workers Abdullah Fidan and Levent Çimen were taken to Ereðli Ekomar Hospital.
The bodies of the killed workers were taken to the Ereðli Ekomar Hospital morgue. An investigation has been started regarding the accident.
This latest incident has added to a long string of fatal shipyard accidents that have claimed more than 135 workers’ lives. The last fatal accident happened July 15, killing 36-year-old Nurettin Bingöl in Torlak Shipyard in Tuzla.
ANF has interviewed the historic leader of the dockers in Genova. The North West Italian city’s dockers are called ‘camalli’ and have staged important struggles above all for safety in the workplace. Amanzio Pezzolo is the dockers’ historic spokesperson. “When a comrade dies – he says – and it does not matter in which dock he dies, is not only the death of a worker. When a comrade dies with him dies a piece of a community”. Pezzolo has worked in the docks for 40 years. As for the miners, work is something that creates ties for the dockers as well. The work creates links, makes a community. And it is this, said Pezzolo, that scares the bosses, “the community is united and unity scares the bosses, who, generally speaking, - he adds – are always bad”. And unity is the tie the bosses want to break.
We have to admit that partly they have managed to break this tie.
There is no doubt that we are under a constant attack. Especially here in Genova where we have managed to establish some kind of self-governed system. The bosses are trying to eliminate, to progressively erose the workers’ rights. And they start with the right to be trained. And we know that training is crucial if not to avoid at least to limit the risks of incidents. In our job the risks of accident are very high. We are witnessing a free fall of the norms and rules which are being violated by privatization. Safety has been put in a corner. And we can see the consequences of this policy. The incident which happened in Zonguldak at the weekend is one of many.
In Italy, Genova, Marghera, Monfalcone docks have tried to create some sort of inter-ports connection. Indeed this link was tried to be formed at an international level. Genova hosted an international conference where unions and workers came together to try and create this relation among ports. What is happening now?
We tried in several Italian ports to reach an agreement on safety but the ports are divided, fragmented and it is difficult to make agreements. I’m working in the docks for 40 years but I have never seen such a divided port, such a not communicating port. In other words we are witnessing a situation in the ports which is the opposite of what a port should be. The terminals are separated by iron, gates. Incredible, it looks more like a military zone.
Training is crucial in this work.
Definitively. We are asking for the opening a professional school for ages. It is crucial that the people who enter the dock work is prepared, well trained. The workers must know what they are doing because the risks are high. We need new laws to protect the safety of workers. It is important that workers reclaim the idea of right. People should once again believe and state that our rights are non negotiable. There is no possible negotiation on people’s rights. Fragmentation of work, sub contractor work, short term contracts, are making workers more vulnerable. The unions have a big work to do but they are still a bit slow. People should reclaim their rights. Together with this there is the discourse on development. We should not accept development tout court. A development model must take into account the rights of workers.
