Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
Faulty brakes, worn tyres, recurring mechanical issues and vehicles allegedly stripped of their particulate filters. This is the picture painted by the trade unions FP CGIL, FIT CISL and UILTRASPORTI in a note sent to the Municipality of Syracuse, the company Risam and the court-appointed administrator Eduardo Grimaldi, who was appointed by the Court of Nocera Inferiore. The situation has reignited concerns over the safety of the vehicles used for waste collection and the potential impact on service reliability.
Paolo Cavallaro, group leader of Fratelli d’Italia, has weighed in on the matter, expressing concern over the unions’ reports and calling for immediate checks not only on the condition of the vehicles but also on work organisation.
“This is a situation that demands the utmost attention due to the potential consequences for the safety of workers and of everyone who uses our roads every day,” Cavallaro said.
The unions’ note also highlights the absence of a permanent supervisor to coordinate daily activities and the failure to provide work clothing for over a year. According to the unions, some workers have been forced to use makeshift, worn-out and even torn clothes. They are therefore demanding inspections of all vehicles, the withdrawal of any that are unfit, the provision of necessary equipment and an urgent meeting with the company and the mayor.
Cavallaro expressed solidarity with the workers and broadened the issue to public safety. “Reports about brakes and tyres directly affect pedestrians, drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists.” He therefore urged the Municipal Police to carry out targeted checks on the vehicles actually used in waste collection, verifying their roadworthiness, MOTs, insurance and compliance with circulation regulations, with the support of the relevant technical bodies for any necessary further investigation.
The group leader recalled having already raised the issue in previous months. Since 5 February, he had requested a hearing with the contract execution director (DEC), a list of operational, faulty or under-maintenance vehicles, and a site visit to the depot. He had subsequently pressed for clarification on maintenance, also intervening after a sweeper caught fire in Borgata and a vehicle was reported to have no horn.
“Maintenance remains the operator’s responsibility. The Municipality must carry out the checks within its remit on the contract,” he stressed, noting that the municipal offices themselves had reportedly been reminded of their duty to verify MOTs, insurance and the lawful circulation of vehicles, also in light of a formal notice from the DEC regarding their use.
Another concern is service continuity. The potential detention of multiple unfit vehicles, without prompt replacement, could indeed cause disruptions to waste collection and street sweeping, affecting the cleanliness of the city. Added to this is the need, given that the current management is under court administration, to have the economic and organisational resources required to source replacement vehicles and ensure maintenance work.
