Usag layoffs: “The company does not accept the solidarity of the workers”

 The workers’ protest is felt even in Varese. Usag workers met, under the headquarters of the Industrial Union of Varese, to accompany the delegation that met with the heads of production sites in Gemonio and Monvalle hit by the announcement of a drastic downsizing and the reduction of 80 jobs.

A meeting that, the unions explain, did not go well. "The company has remained rigid in its position," explains the delegate Fiom Francesca De Musso, at the end of the meeting with business leaders. “They proposed a package with special redundancy fund of 800 redundencies purposes and they didn’t want to to take into account any other reasoning. The workers are prepared to discuss the solidarity contracts, but there were no openings.” The Union explains that the keeping of jobs is essential: "One piece at a time they are dismantling companies that have made our country an excellence".

 The event, yet another rock on the productive fabric of the province of Varese, as well as shaking a not inconsiderable number of households points to the name of a historical and important company for the territory. Founded 87 years ago it became in 2010 Swk Utensilerie Ltd after the acquisition by the American multinational Stanley Black&Decker, Usag was at the top of the production of utensils and its name stood out among the industrial heritage of Varese. But the history and, in this specific event, also profits are not enough: the production Varese will be redimensioned.

"We were 600 and within 4 years we have been reduced to one third," explained the workers convinced that, "the next step is closing." There were many at the meeting of piazza Montegrappa to await the outcome of the meeting, also the Mayor of Gemonio Fabio Felli ready to defend an important site for the municipality: "We are ready to put in all the necessary steps to bring peoples attention to this matter," explains the Mayor, "the intervention can only start from a higher level but for us what is happening is heavy: the workers involved are many and Usag is a historic brand".