In a recent investigation that sheds light on severe labor exploitation, a supermarket in the Catania province of Sicily has come under scrutiny for paying workers as little as €1.6 per hour. The Guardia di Finanza's probe revealed that 37 employees were subjected to working conditions far exceeding the hours stipulated by their contracts, with minimal pay and no days off. This case highlights a disturbing trend of labor abuse in the region, with similar incidents reported in Catanzaro last October.
The legal representative and commercial director of the supermarket have been placed under house arrest, accused of illicit intermediation, labor exploitation, and self-laundering. The court has also ordered the preventive seizure of the company, valued at €3 million, and appointed a judicial administrator. The investigation, coordinated by the Catania Prosecutor's Office, uncovered that workers, many of whom were young and in dire economic straits, were forced to accept these exploitative conditions due to a lack of alternative employment options.
Further findings from the investigation indicate that the supermarket failed to pay approximately €1.6 million in wages and €1.15 million in social security contributions over the years. The workers, some of whom worked up to 65 hours a week, received monthly salaries of only €700 to €800, significantly below the minimum wage standards set by collective bargaining agreements.
The case has sparked outrage and calls for stricter enforcement of labor laws to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation. The Catania Prosecutor's Office is also investigating serious violations related to work safety, mandatory leave, and rest periods, underscoring the need for comprehensive reforms to prevent such abuses in the future.
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