At the age of 71 Guglielmo Epifani died. Degree in philosophy on Anna Kuliscioff, one of the great figures of Italian socialism, Epifani was a Roman born in 1950, with a childhood characterized by the commitment to volunteering for the suburbs, a great attention to the social that he always brings with him.
“I leave with the hope that things can change”: it was October 16, 2010, in Piazza San Giovanni in Rome. The rally at a demonstration of the blue overalls of Fiom was the last as leader of the CGIL for Guglielmo Epifani who led from 2002 to 2010. In reality he remains in the trade union environment, as president of the Bruno Trentin association, but slowly rediscovers the temptation for politics to which he had never succumbed before. A reformist, a socialist.
Epifani with the decline of the PSI joined the DS, where Walter Veltroni offered him a role in the party’s organizational machine for his experience in organizing the Corso Italia trade union. Where he preferred to stay. Just as he has repeatedly refused offers of candidacy, from the administrative ones to the European Parliament, to that for the race for the seat of mayor of Naples.
Epifani comes to politics after a life dedicated to the CGIL, from assistant general secretary of polygraphers and paper makers to become its leader, general secretary after Sergio Cofferati, of whom he had been deputy from 1994 to 2002. Those who know him well, grasp the essence which most characterizes Guglielmo Epifani in a great propensity for mediation: a person ” who does not divide ”, but who knows how to mend, reconnect, hold together. A skill that distinguished him at the helm of the first Italian union, and which was fundamental for the role of ferryman of the Democratic Party towards the congress season that he led from 11 May 2013 to 15 December 2013.
The reactions of the trade unions: “Leave an unbridgeable void”
The death of Guglielmo Epifani «is bad news, for the CGIL it is a very serious failure. Guglielmo gave his life to the CGIL and the union. Right now we are close to his wife. We will see how to organize his memory. His commitment, his experience will remain forever as an example of what it means to be a union leader ». So declared the current general secretary of the union, Maurizio Landini. “A sad news, I formulate in the name of the CISL the sentiments of deep condolence to Guglielmo’s family, the condolences to Maurizio and all the CGIL” said the leader of the CISL instead. Luigi Sbarra. “Epifani – he adds – was a great trade unionist, a good politician, competent, lucid and refined, he will leave an unbridgeable void”. Even the leader of the Uil, Pierpaolo Bombardieri, shared the pain of Epifani’s death: «It is a sad day. We lose a friend and a decent person engaged in many battles. Epifani was a reformist politician who fought many battles for the workers. Today we stopped. We think that grief and silence are the only feelings to be expressed ».
The words of politics: “He spent his life on one side only, that of the workers”
The secretary of the Democratic Party Enrico Letta, in front of the Nazarene together with the leaders of the trade unions for the meeting with the party, he declared: «It is dramatic news, which reached us during the meeting. It is a very sad day. We interrupted the meeting out of respect for the memory of Guglielmo Epifani. I express deep condolences of all Democrats and Democrats to his wife. I remember the fundamental role he had as a leader of the Democratic Party, in a difficult moment ». For Matteo Renzi, leader of Italia Viva, «With the death of Guglielmo Epifani the trade union and Italian politics lose a gentleman. A gentleman who showed himself to be such also and above all when he happened to disagree with him. A moving thought to his wife and to all the people who loved him ». “The death of Guglielmo Epifani causes pain first of all – the president of the Lazio Region wrote on Twitter Nicola Zingaretti – A great leader of the union and the left. A respectable person who, without shouting, but with passion and commitment, knew how to create space for his ideas ». Massimo D’Alema he dedicated these words: “I am deeply impressed and saddened by the untimely death of Guglielmo Epifani with whom I shared many years of commitment, always admiring his intelligent participation and the correctness with which he interpreted his role in politics and in the trade union”
And Letta is not the only politician who is remembering Epifani in these hours. In a note, the Minister for Public Administration, Renato Brunetta, shared his bewilderment and sorrow for the sudden death of Guglielmo Epifani, companion of many battles. Colleague deputy, kind, serious, balanced. Union manager who has spent his life on one side only: on the side of the workers. Hi Guglielmo, you will remain an example for all of us ». The president of Noi con Italia and vice president of the Mixed group in the Chamber Maurizio Lupiinstead he stated: «We are shocked by the death of Guglielmo Epifani and we join the pain of the family and his loved ones. Between us there was a political distance, but not a human distance and we were united by the common dedication to politics as a service and as an instrument for the defense of the dignity of persons and the construction of the common good. Today the Parliament loses one of its best men ».