Tragic Demise of Satnam Singh Highlights Labor Exploitation in Italy's Agricultural Sector
The untimely death of Satnam Singh, an Indian farm worker abandoned on the roadside after suffering a severe injury, has sparked outrage and protests across Italy. Singh's plight, emblematic of the systemic abuses faced by undocumented workers in the country's agricultural sector, has prompted Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to denounce the incident and call for reforms.
Singh's tragic end, resulting from an accident involving farm machinery, occurred while he was working without legal documentation in Italy. His employer's inhumane act of leaving him to die on the roadside has ignited widespread condemnation. Distress calls from Singh's wife and friends led to prompt action from local authorities, including the dispatch of an air ambulance.
The incident has reignited calls for justice and reforms to protect labor rights. Gurmukh Singh, head of the Indian community in central Italy, expressed outrage, stating, He was thrown out like a dog. There is exploitation every day, we suffer it every day, it must end now.
Prime Minister Meloni, addressing the Italian parliament, expressed her condolences and denounced the incident as inhumane acts that do not reflect Italian values. She emphasized the need for severe punishment for those responsible and called for legislative changes to prevent such tragedies in the future. These are inhumane acts that do not belong to the Italian people. I hope that this barbarity will be punished harshly, said Meloni.
Indian workers have long been a part of Italy's agricultural workforce, particularly in the Agro Pontino region, engaged in harvesting, flower farming, and buffalo mozzarella production. Singh's death has sparked a broader debate on addressing systemic abuses in the sector, including the widespread use of undocumented workers and their exploitation by farmers and gangmasters.
Parambar Singh, another Indian worker who suffered a serious eye injury in a work accident, shared his harrowing experience, stating, Satnam died in one day, I die every day. Because I too am a labor victim.
Italy's financial police reported identifying nearly 60,000 undocumented workers from January 2023 to June 2024, while the CGIL, Italy's largest trade union, estimates that over 230,000 seasonal agricultural workers, mostly undocumented foreigners, lack contracts.
Female workers face particularly dire conditions, earning even less than their male counterparts and enduring sexual exploitation in some cases. We all need regular job contracts, not to be trapped in this slavery, said Kaur Akveer, an Indian woman who participated in protests.
The tragic death of Satnam Singh has served as a grim reminder of the urgent need to address labor exploitation in Italy's agricultural sector. The government and civil society organizations must collaborate to implement reforms that protect the rights of all workers, regardless of their immigration status.
