«Fighting unfair competition and unfettered immigration through respect for the law» – La Nazione, March 31, 2010
Ilaria and David Romagnoli head the Romagnoli Machine Shop in Via Venezia, a company they inherited from their father, Gianfranco, and that deals in compressed air applications and parts (for various industries, from textiles to pharmaceutical production).
The company started forty years ago exactly, an accomplishment they are celebrating today, along with their six employees, remembering the long route that got them here. They started by working with local industries and, with the crisis, have since moved into other fields: industrial cleaning, pressure washers, sales and service/repairs.
Speaking of the crisis that hit the city in recent years, they observe, "Of course it’s been hard, but it’s in times of crisis that you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and get going: we’ve done it while trying to protect the jobs of employees", recalling that forty years ago their father Gianfranco worked exhausting shifts, much as the Chinese community today.
And, commenting on the subject of immigration, "There are certainly problems related to immigration, especially the Chinese , working with them is not easy, both for their approach and mindset about work, and for the fact that they don’t always follow the rules" So? "We think the rules must be upheld, so you have to act very firmly, to avoid unfair competition at home, if only for the sake of justice. Foreign communities are a reality with which we must learn to live, and that’s why it’s important for integration to take place in every respect, and particularly concerning fair competition, giving them the same rights, but also the same duties. "
It’s clear that the city has undergone many transformations which, unfortunately, have seen many textile companies disappear and forced many youth to seek employment elsewhere. Degradation grips many areas of the city, especially the historical centre. But the Romagnolis aren’t complaining: "We remain standing”, they say, “despite stormy times, which, granted, have been the worst crisis to date." And they find the opportunity to thank all those who have accompanied them on this long and rewarding journey.
Franco Riccomini
