A halt to subcontracting and acrobatic construction at the Colosseum Archaeological Park. The work and safety model at the monumental site has changed following the death of Andrea Moretti, the 22-year-old worker who fell from approximately 10 meters while installing the new lighting system. Just over a month after the tragedy, which the Rome Prosecutor's Office is investigating for manslaughter with eight people under investigation, the Ministry of Culture, led by Alessandro Giuli, and the unions have reached an agreement to modify the procedures for the work. The announcement comes from the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) and the FP (Italian Federation of Labour) Cgil Roma e Lazio, which describe a radical change in the organization of activities within the Park and announce that work will resume on November 3.
"Thanks to the agreements signed with the Ministry of Culture, we can finally say that the Archaeological Park has radically changed its way of working," say the unions, who are now calling for the new protections to be extended to other archaeological and cultural sites.
The agreement comes after discussions began following the accident that claimed the young worker's life. The unions emphasized that ministry employees, concerned about the conditions they were forced to work, also participated in the mobilization. "This important result is the direct result of the reaction, determination, and mobilization initiated by the Ministry of Culture workers," explain the CGIL and FP-CGIL unions , recalling that they demanded "the immediate closure of the area in the wake of the tragic death of young Andrea Moretti."
But for the union, this must only be the first step toward a general change. And they demand that the Colosseum incident become a turning point that extends beyond the individual site. "It's time to immediately broaden the discussion to all archaeological and cultural sites in the area," they say, pointing out the critical issues that remain, from safety risks to grueling shifts to exposure to extreme weather events.
The call is therefore for a structural review of working conditions for all cultural workers, including those in contracting, service, and maintenance firms. "For the CGIL and the FP CGIL, working women and men come first, and no profit, revenue, or reason of state can justify the sacrifice of life and human dignity," they conclude. A sacrifice paid for in Lazio in 2025 with the deaths of 23 workers.
(Unioneonline)
