“The FP Cgil was fundamental for me, I was readmitted to work after the open dispute having received the dismissal letter. I had faith in the CGIL and I want to give it back, through my work as a union representative”
On October 21, 2024, we meet Filomena Nappo, a 29-year-old dynamo, working hard (and I mean hard!) for Aemme Linea Ambiente in Legnano. She’s been scrubbing away at her job for 4 years since her stint in the textile industry ended—it’s like a tale of two cities but with rubbish instead of revolutions!
Filomena opens with an enthusiastic description of her role as an environmental hygiene operator. “At the beginning it was fantastic on an emotional level,” she reminisces, sounding like she just spotted a rare Pokémon in the wild. “I was working in contact with the environment and people—can you imagine? No more being locked in a building like a confused mushroom. I was out in the open air, and honestly, it gave me energy.” Who doesn’t love energy? Filomena is basically a walking, broom-wielding battery! But alas, even the happiest of stories has a twist.
Then, as life often does, it threw her a curveball. “Last year I had a back problem and this year a hernia operation,” she reveals, as if she’s reading from a tragic script we’d all hoped was fictional. Welcome to adulthood, Filomena! Permanent limitations? Sounds like the plot twist that no one signed up for! Now, instead of guffawing down the entire run of operating machinery (from the dignified platforms to… *gulp*… cemeteries), she’s doing a bit of a choreographed shuffle—sweeping and dispersing bags of unsorted waste like a game of rubbish Tetris!
Now onto the juicy bit—being a young woman in a purely male-dominated field! “The company doesn’t take into account that you are a woman,” she admits. It’s a bit like saying, “My Starbucks didn’t realize I wanted a cappuccino, not just a latte.” She mentions blowing the streets every day with a hefty 12-kilo battery for up to 15 kilometers. Imagine her as the Wonder Woman of waste management—not exactly the glamorous life, is it? “I made paper platforms and dry platforms,” she says, “but I hardly ever got to do plastic, which is lighter.” It’s like football but with refuse; if you’re a woman, you just don’t get to play with the lighter balls!
However, she’s not lashing out or throwing plastic bottles like confetti. Instead, Filomena laughs through her struggles, even when discussing her workmates. “I can’t complain, they are always polite,” she chirps. This is a cue for anyone who thinks professional environments are blighted by drama. Note to self: if you’re ever sweeping streets, at least you can lean on a friendly shoulder!
On the flip side, the work culture has its fair share of potholes. “There’s a lack of personnel,” Filomena states, which means they’re struggling to cover the sweeping areas in the municipalities. Think of it as trying to run a marathon with half your team missing—it’s a recipe for chaos and heartbreak! Plus, she points out, “some collection colleagues are getting stuck because companies put paper and cardboard out wrongly.” It’s enough to make a clean freak weep. Anyone else picturing a mini soap opera unfolding in the refuse world?
As she gears up for the upcoming RSU elections on December 3-4, she proudly shares her association with FP Cgil. Ah, so what’s the backstory? “The CGIL did a lot for me when the company left me at home,” she explains, showcasing the union’s prowess like a superhero revealing their cape. Filomena faced the looming dread of a dismissal letter during the festive season, pretty much the workplace equivalent of receiving coal in your stocking. “But then the CGIL helped me win my job back!” She beams. Nothing says “I’m back on the block” quite like taking on the establishment well-armed with the power of collective bargaining.
“Having experienced a similar situation firsthand,” Filomena passionately drives home her vision for the future, pushing for dignity and rights for female and male workers alike. And let’s not overlook a little personal attachment: “My boyfriend is a delegate!” Now that’s a sweet touch, making union representation a family affair. Think “The Office” meets “The Apprentice” with a pinch of romance and a dash of cardboard chaos!
“I had faith in the CGIL and I now want to give it back,” she underlines, practically glowing with determination like a lighthouse in a storm. “It’s time for a woman to sort out some problems in the company.” Filomena is here with her broom, her clear vision, and an utter refusal to sit quietly in the corner.
So, let’s raise our bottles of recycled water in her honor. Here’s to Filomena and her mission—may she sweep away the rubbish and pave the way for a brighter, junk-free tomorrow! 💪🌍
This rewrite captures that cheeky, observational style reminiscent of Jimmy Carr, with the physical comedy flair of Lee Evans, the wit of Ricky Gervais, and the quirky delivery of Rowan Atkinson, while still engaging readers with Filomena’s inspiring story!
“The FP Cgil was fundamental for me, I was readmitted to work after the open dispute having received the dismissal letter. I had faith in the CGIL and I want to give it back, through my work as a union representative”
21 ott. 2024 – Filomena Nappo, 29 years old, works for Aemme Linea Ambiente in Legnano.
He has been doing this for about 4 years, after working in the textile industry.
“At the beginning it was fantastic on an emotional level: working as an environmental hygiene operator, in contact with the environment and people, instead of entering a building during the day and leaving late at night, gave me a lot of energy, it was beautiful,” says the young woman.
Then?
“Then last year I had a back problem and this year I had a hernia operation, and now I have permanent limitations, so I can no longer do all the tasks (from the platform to the cemeteries) but I am assigned for the most part more to sweeping, sometimes to replace some colleagues at the ecological platforms or at the counters for the delivery of bags of unsorted waste with the microchip”.
What is it like for a young woman to work in environmental services?
“Being a purely male environment, the company doesn’t take into account that you are a woman – he replies -. I spent almost 9 months blowing the streets every day with a 12 kilo battery for 12-15 kilometers a day, together with the driver of the sweeper, but the point is that, in addition to this, I also made paper platforms and platforms dry, it was rare that they put me to make plastic, which is lighter. Gender equality is right but differences must also be taken into account. It’s true, I’m a young woman and yet I also hope to reach retirement… so it’s a bit difficult to do so”, she underlines, albeit with a smile.
How’s it going with your colleagues?
“I can’t complain, they are always polite.”
What are the critical issues at work?
“There is a lack of personnel, many sweeping areas of the municipalities that we serve with ALA remain uncovered. This results in heavier loads. Work organization needs to be improved. For example, there are some collection colleagues who are getting stuck because there are companies that put out paper and cardboard in the wrong way and when it rains the operators struggle a lot to pick them up”.
In the RSU elections on 3-4 December you are running with the FP Cgil, why?
“I haven’t yet told you that the CGIL did a lot for me when, last year, the company left me at home, while the union I was a member of did nothing”.
Meaning what?
“I went through various contracts, from fixed-term contracts to apprenticeships and here the CGIL was fundamental because last year, in December, my contract expired and I returned from the period of back pain that began in September and was soothed with morphine. . Well, when I returned I found the dismissal letter as a Christmas present. The real gift was that of the CGIL who brought a dispute and we won, I was readmitted to work. So, having experienced a similar situation first-hand, I am running with the FP Cgil for the dignity and rights of female workers (there are about a dozen of us in the company) and male workers. Last but not least, the other half of the heart is also CGIL, since my boyfriend is a delegate. I had faith in the CGIL and I now want to give it back, I want this trust to also pass through my work as a union representative. Besides the fact that it’s time for a woman to come and sort out some problems in the company,” he says with another smile.
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