The greatest difficulties in the smaller realities, there are fears for the future of commerce, tourism, tertiary sector and the start of the school year
Economic growth is linked to the ability to contain the spread of the coronavirus infection. The presidents of the two regional Confindustria, like the trade union representatives, are convinced of this: “In the pandemic autumn, the emergency is called Covid”.
A possible fourth wave would be unbearable for the economic system which would risk paying for the closure of other companies, new layoffs and further delays in the delivery of raw materials. This is the picture outlined by the economic categories and by the trade unions a few days after the resumption of production marked by the pandemic.
«The containment of the health emergency is the precondition to face all the other challenges that await us. The economic recovery is robust and estimates tell us that we will grow over 5 percent. But the unknown is called Covid: we cannot afford either the fourth wave or other lockdowns, and this is also why we are so rigorous on the health and safety front in factories “says the president of Confindustria Udine, Anna Mareschi Danieli, in ensuring that “Confindustria remains at the forefront to promote the vaccination campaign and the Green pass for access to company canteens and workplaces”. According to Mareschi Danieli, environmental sustainability, education, birth rate and family, skilled immigration, digitization and innovation are “the points that must be firmly at the top of the political agenda”. Of the same opinion the president of Confindustria Alto Adriatico, Michelangelo Agrusti, according to which “it is all linked to the progress of the health emergency. The question of public health – he adds – is fundamental for the stability of the system. It will not happen, but if we were to face other closures there would be no money to support them ».
Agrusti also focuses on the difficult finding of some raw materials and, while acknowledging that “a global recovery brings with it the increase in prices”, he hopes that possible speculations will be nipped in the bud and that a certain part of the world will return to production. “The microchip crisis is sensational – he insists -, Toyota and Renault have reduced production by 40 percent due to a lack of components”.
The attention of the trade unions also focuses on the possible effects of the pandemic which, in turn, risks opening up new critical issues in the production system. “It will be necessary to understand what it means to unblock layoffs also for the tertiary sector, this will be the autumn test bed” says the regional secretary of the CGIL, Villiam Pezzetta, in pointing out that the greatest difficulties are found in small businesses, while large industry holds. In his opinion, the sectors most at risk are the tertiary sector, tourism and commerce, three sectors also affected by the difficulty of finding skilled labor.
This too will be one of the great issues to be addressed in the pandemic autumn. Alberto Monticco, the regional secretary of the CISL, instead focuses on the opening of schools with everything that comes with it: from the Green pass to transport, from teachers to the availability of spaces. From an industrial point of view, he adds, “the game will be played on the reform of social safety nets, on precarious work and on the quality of the contracts offered. Monticco focuses on the implementation of the NRP and warns: “This month of holidays has mitigated the problems, I would not like some issues not being addressed with the electoral campaign in progress.”
Uil’s analysis is based on the same hinges, where the extraordinary commissioner, Mauro Franzolini, he asks, like his colleagues, for compulsory vaccination. “The Government – he explains – cannot leave decisions of this type in the hands of the social partners alone”. Among the issues to be addressed urgently, Franzolini cites the pension reform to avoid the risk of being faced with the “staircase”: “We would not want – he explains – that the Government would take advantage of it to make money”. Likewise, Franzolini says he is concerned about the lack of skilled and skilled labor. “In the short and medium term – he argues – it will be necessary to import labor, train it and prepare it to live in our society”. Franzolini thinks of the immigrants who knock on our doors every day. CGIL, CISL and UIL, in unison, also ask for greater safety in the workplace to prevent accidents.
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