Italy : €1/hour Moroccan worker granted residence permit after exploitation

A 30-year-old Moroccan worker, G.A., was the victim of severe exploitation at a construction site in Castelfranco Emilia, Modena province, Italy.

Despite his irregular immigration status, G.A. contacted the Fillea Cgil (Italian Federation of Wood, Building and Construction Workers) in January 2024 to report wage disparities.

With the assistance of Souad Elkaddani and lawyer Elisabetta Vandelli from the Centro Lavoratori Stranieri (Center for Foreign Workers), he filed a complaint alleging exploitation and failure to be registered with the authorities, according to La Pressa.

G.A.'s situation took a turn when he suffered a serious work accident, exposing another violation of his rights.

His active cooperation during the investigation played a key role, leading the public prosecutor to grant the Moroccan worker «a residence permit for serious work exploitation, valid for one year with the possibility of renewal». This decision marks a first in Modena and was celebrated by Rodolfo Ferraro of Fillea Cgil as a victory for exploited workers.

Souad Elkaddani, Fillea Cgil representative in Modena, highlighted the frequent exploitation of migrant workers, who often endure precarious conditions such as low wages, malnutrition, and unsafe housing. She also noted an alarming increase in occupational accidents among foreign workers.

«The case's success is partly due to the exceptional work of our language and cultural mediator», Elkaddani said, underlining the crucial role of language skills and literacy for foreign workers in sectors like construction.