Italy: Social integration hubs in Puglia to combat gangmastering system

Rome: Social integration hubs (Poli Sociali Integrati) are launching this week in the provinces of Puglia. This is a central part of the second phase of Su.Pr.Eme, a national program aimed at fighting the gangmastering (caporalato) system.

The social integration hubs are part of a national program to fight the gangmastering system in Italy. Funded by the Italian Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, the initiative foresees a total financial donation of 45 million euros, of which 8 million have been earmarked for Puglia.

The social integration hubs foresee 12 fixed portals to provide social, legal, and labor support (five in the province of Foggia, three between the provinces of Bari and Bat, four among the provinces of Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto); 150 beds in co-housing facilities; seven mobile units for interventions in the informal settlements; eight shuttles to transport migrants to and from the firms; one help desk against caporalato active from Monday to Friday from 9:30 am until 6:00 pm.

“Su.Pr.Eme 2 represents an extraordinary opportunity to realize an important aspect of our policy strategy on migrant integration and of safeguarding persons who are at the highest risk of exploitation by the gangmastering system,” declared the Regional Councilor for Culture and Migrant Policies, Viviana Matrangola.

Furthermore, Matrangola highlighted that “in the last edition, Puglia held a leading role and the shared experience with the regions in the South has received recognition by the European Commission.”

Matrangola stressed that the prevalence of the gangmastering system has visibly decreased in recent years. “This is thanks to the constant work conducted by the Labor Inspectorate and Prefectures in Puglia, and to the increased level of coordination among the institutions,” he declared.

“The presence of organized crime, not only in the agriculture sector but also in construction, tourism and care labor, is extremely strong, and only an alliance between institutions and healthy civil society forces can eradicate their presence forever. Puglia has always been on the frontline for these aspects”, he added.