IMS, the protest continues. We have faith in Vasco Rossi

There were chestnuts and music at the protest of IMS workers, in Caronno Pertusella. The protest by the employees of the company that has made copies of CDs of the world’s most famous artists did not stop even today, Tuesday 1 November, All Saints’ Day. Many people came to the tent which was set up in the square in front of company to express their solidarity, over a situation that has been going on for weeks; even the mayor of the town, Loris Bonfanti, came back to the workers and to their families to reiterate the support of the town council. The people of Caronno express their support and solidarity every day, some by visiting the tent, others by bringing food and drink.

Many of the hopes of the 130 workers (60 have been reinstated, while the others are receiving redundancy payments) are relying on the big names for which they have worked in the last few years; at the head of the list is Vasco Rossi. Contacts with the rock star’s entourage have become increasingly frequent and close, so much so that the provincial coordinator of the trade union organisation A.L. Cobas-CUB, Antonio Ferrari, wrote again to the singer to ask once more for a tangible sign of solidarity. “We look forward to another sign of your solidarity,” the letter says. “We understand that your words are not just an expression of solidarity, but also a loud call to those who can and must do much more to prevent workers and their families from being left without work. Taking work away from a labourer is like draining the water from a plant. There are a lot of workers in the same condition as those in Caronno Pertusella, but what is particular about them is that, in the halls and corridors of their factory, there are 100cmx70cm posters of you. Now, the factory is empty, but your photos are still there.” A banner on the front of the factory says “Vasco, we’re waiting for you”, and pictures with CDs of Vasco Rossi and many others Italian and non-Italian singers (the Rolling Stones, Litfiba, Guccini, Vecchioni and Tiziano Ferro, to name but a few) have been put on up in the tent.

“We’re not giving up, we want to demonstrate that the workers are determined not to pay out of their own pockets for bad choices they didn’t make,” Ferrari said. “We’ve asked to meet IMS’s big clients (Universal, Mondo and Universal), we’ve written to many Italian artists and, during Gad Lerner’s show ‘The Infidel’, Rosi Bindi promised that she’ll come and visit in the next few days; and we’ll finally do something with Vasco. This factory mustn’t lay workers off: we’re waiting to hear about the negotiations on the sale, which the owners have said are taking place.”

Over the next few days, there is plenty happening. On Wednesday, 2 November, at 5.30 p.m., there will be an assembly with the workers, to decide on new protest initiatives; on Friday, 4 November, a meeting has been organised with the company, and on Tuesday, 8 November, the salaries for October should be paid.