Supermarket Tragedy: 2/21 National Strike

The CGIL and other trade unions have called a national strike which will affect public services on Wednesday, February 21, “to focus attention on guaranteeing the health and security of employees on work sites.”

The fourth victim of a work disaster — the construction of a new Esselunga supermarket on via Mariti in Florence’s Novoli neighborhood — has been found in the evening of February 17 by fire fighters, who are searching for a fifth, Bouzekri Rahimi.

A huge beam on the work site collapsed on February 16.  The other victims are Luigi Coclite; Mohamed El Farhane, Taoufik Haidar and  Mohamed Toukabri.  The first was a native of Abruzzo but resident in Collesalvetti close to the Tuscan city of Livorno; the other four are Moroccans who accepted a job offer in Florence from Brescia, above Milan.  Two of the five may not have had a permit to stay in Italy, and may have been paid under the table; authorities are investigating.

Three workers survived the collapse, and were admitted to Florence’s Careggi Hospital not in critical condition.  All were from Romania.

The mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, decreed February 17 and 18 as days of mourning in the city, with most events canceled, flags at half mast, and citizens invited in unite in a minute of silence for the victims and their families.