In the first half of the forties, male and female factory workers experienced a terrifying fascist repression in the factory. Due to the German occupation, the terrifying repressive climate grew remarkably worse. In a few Italian factories, there were many strikes and protests for peace and the end of war production for the Nazis.
The Historian Paul Guisburg wrote that there were about 2000 deported factory workers who had participated in these protests. It is not possible to trace the protagonists of this liberation movement from the Individual Factory Workers’ File-Cards of Motofides. Workers were fired for trivial motives such as prolonged absence for illness, scarce rendering and diligence.
Already at the age of fifteen girls or boys were able to work in the factory as “mechanical apprentices” but scarce productivity or the refusal to do overtime were reasons to make a note of punishment on the worker’s file-card.
In Motofides there were a considerable number of female workers. Women’s wages were slightly above those of an apprentice and much lower that those given to men.
On the individual file-card it was necessary to specify that the worker belonged to the Fascist Party and the eventual participation in the March on Rome. If the employee did not adapt to the strict internal regulations or the boss disliked him/her, he/she was subjected to what is now called victimizing. Today the situation regarding workers’ rights is decisively different in the factory. The many fights for rights have improved working conditions in the factory, however, many industrialists have elaborated new strategies to attack these achieved rights. For example the atypical contracts, which have been created, deprive rights to the worker. The neo-liberal model of a globalized society imposes flexibility in working hours (timetable), salary, and short-term contracts.

There is no simple solution to the paradox we are living. The Trade Union, after having bartered everything possible, is unable to find a counterpart with whom to negotiate now that its orchestration has definitely failed. To make matters worse, it contributes heavily to the right-winged ultra-liberal government of today, which is accelerating privatization and as if this were not enough, it decisively has the intention to eliminate the right of permanent workers to be reinserted in the productive cycle in case of unjustified firing.

When this umpteenth repressive measure is passed in parliament, permanent workers will plunge thirty years in the past when the worker who demanded job security or the right to strike was easily fired.

Taiguara Alves Giannotti

Special thanks to C. Baldassari, G. Bartoli, L. Canale, A. D’Aurizio, M. Dragoni e A. Taffi.