Protests of Fedex-TNT workers amid announced layoffs forcibly suppressed by police, two union leaders arrested
On March 13, more than 3000 people participated in a demonstration in Piacenza, Italy, denouncing the arrest and prosecution of union activist workers of Fedex–TNT. The demonstration was initiated by the SI union and the Counter Tendency group in support of the warehouse workers and union activists.
On March 10, the Italian police launched a campaign against union workers and activists by raiding their homes and offices. The campaign resulted in the house arrest of two union leaders, Mohamed Arafat and Carlo Pallavicini. The police also revoked residence permits and imposed fines against workers. It is believed that the police campaign was initiated in reaction to a two-week long strike organized by the workers of the Fedex-TNT warehouse against the announced layoffs of hundreds of workers.
On Thursday 25 March, The Egyptian Coalition for Human Rights and Development (ECHD) issued a statement denouncing the measures taken by Italian authorities against the prominent leader of the Italian Si Cobas trade union Mohamed Arafat.
“Arafat is an honest trade union leader who has a long history of defending labour rights, and had never violated Italian law. Fouad added that Arafat merely called on workers to protest peacefully and has always defended the rights of labourers of all nationalities”.Basma Fouad, the executive director of the ECHD