The UIL and CGIL trade unions marched
in Bologna on Thursday to demand action on health and safety
after this week's explosion at Enel Green Power's Bargi
hydroelectric plant on Lake Suviana, which killed three people,
with four others missing, feared dead.
The disaster, in which five other people were injured, is the
latest in a long series of deadly workplace accidents in Italy.
Police said at least 1,500 people took part in the
demonstration, marching behind a banner that read "Enough Now".
The unions' members are also striking for eight hours in Emilia
Romagna on Thursday, doubling the length of an already-planned
nationwide general strike that is especially affecting public
transport.
Investigators have opened a probe into alleged culpable homicide
and culpable disaster.
Firefighters said on Wednesday that there is little hope of
finding the missing people alive.
The search for them continued on Thursday after no one was found
overnight.
The unions have expressed anger that the workers were employed
by external contractors.
"These are sub-contract deaths," said Bologna CGIL Secretary
Michele Bulgarelli. "It is a day of anger because, after the
shock, I think that yesterday's statement and press conference
by Enel Green Power was absurd, unacceptable and unworthy of a
civilised country.
"The offloading of responsibility in the procurement chain sees
it list three or four (contractor) companies.
"But up to today we have official information about which
companies employed the employees (involved)".
Enel Green Power CEO Salvatore Bernabei said that top companies
had been chosen for the work being done at the plant.
"In order to carry out this technological upgrade of supply,
assembly and testing (operations), we had chosen the best
companies in the field of electricity and hydroelectricity:
Siemens, Abb, Voith," Bernabei said at the plant.
"When I turn to a contractor, that contractor is synonymous with
prestige and seriousness.
"You have to ask the contractors (about the work subcontracted
out), who, in turn, can turn to other specialists, because the
work we are doing here is work that can only be done by
specialists".
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