lunedì 16 febbraio 2009

When things are getting into a bad way...

The relations between Italians and "foreigners" are getting more and more complex. I'm not discussing about statistical data or surveys but about what I'm noticing close to me, here, in the village in central- Italy where I live.

During these last days, many news about crimes made by immigrants or foreigners have gained greater attention in the media. Surely these crimes represent a real and serious problem aggravated by the fact that the number of immigrants in Italy has recently increased in a dramatic way.

Some economic sectors here, as probably in the rest of Italy, show a relevant incidence of foreign workers. Albanians and romanians in constructions; in agriculture immigrants from Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Senegal; Chinese workers in shops and craftsmanship; servants, houseworks, cleanings, old people care mainly women from Russia and Ucraine; wives from Russia, Ucraine, Romania, Cuba, Brasil. Prostitution is a "mare magnum"...

The present economic crisis is producing unemployment, sacking and economic troubles also in a small village like this: above all women are likely to be the first to bear the effects of the crisis. More and more individuals are forced to accept any kind of job: women above all houseworks, cleanings while men in constrution sectors where physical strength and resistance matter more than any CV. But here problems and tensions explode...

This crisis is generating a rampant diffusion of moonlighting and illegal economy; who is facing economic difficulties needs money to survive, he does'nt make any question, he is disposed to do anything. No regular job contracts, no grants, no safety norms at work. But then here's a bad surprise: these jobs are occupied by foreigners working hard for few Euros who never protest because are afraid to lose the illegal job the have hardly obtained.

When the things go well, immigrants are useful because they do those dirty jobs nobody wants to do. But when things go bad, one may discover to compete for that dirty job...

This bitter discovery provoke anger and negative comments: they steal our jobs, many pity them so they have all for free, they live better than us in our homeland...

A critical social conflict interesting low skilled jobs is soaring thanks also the uncontrolled diffusion of moonlighting.

All this denounces our clear inability to cope with these issues: notwithstanding fierce faces and resounding declarations, in Italy there is no political strategies no structures, and even the intention to understand what's is really happening. As usual we prefer to opt fro improvisation hoping that things will go better one day or another also because this is a "poors' war", between powerless people with no importance.

I still remain seriously worried for these crimes caused by foreigners: in the same time I'm also worried (maybe more worried...) about this side-effect from the economic crisis: a widespread poverty and a diffused moonlighting are causing a terrible war for few crumbs falling from the table with a dangerous scapegoat's chase.

In the past, the severe unemployment waves were related to some (even dramatic) "known" forms of social tensions' channeling typical of the XX century: above all there were no immigrants. Today, in the XXI centrury, all this disappeared but now there are many immigrants working in the illegal economy: we are thus going towards unknown phenomena whose implications are unknown as well.

Defending and creating new jobs, fighting illegal economic activities and moonlighting, defending family incomes, are not only an economic or a social issues by now; maybe something more is at stake...

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