Il Buco Nero

Bulletin - 4 Mar 2009

To:
Prof. Roberto Petronzio, President, INFN
Members of the INFN Executive Council
Representatives of the INFN Personnel
Labor union representatives for the Frascati National Laboratories

A few days ago, labor union representatives at the Frascati National Laboratories (LNF) were contacted by the LNF Director, Mario Calvetti, who requested the removal of the unions’ flags, which had been on display at LNF since October 2008, when a State of Action was declared. Without having obtained any explicit consent, this morning, Director Calvetti ordered the flags’ removal.

We subsequently learned that the Director’s request was connected to a visit to LNF by the Minister of Education, Universities, and Research, the Honorable Mariastella Gelmini, planned for this afternoon. This episode deeply disturbs us, for reasons of both form and substance. In substance, it is an overt attempt to limit our freedom of expression. While this is quite serious in whatever circumstances, it is even more serious when applied to legitimate requests from the elected representatives of the employees. In form, this action was a childish attempt to suppress an opportunity that might have represented an important attempt at institutional dialogue.

Having come to know of the planned visit by the Minister, the Coordinating Committee for Temporary Workers, via one of the labor organizations, asked the Director for permission to deliver to the Minister informational material concerning the situation of temporary workers at the Institute, in a context of dialogue and without any intention of disrupting the Minister’s institutional visit to LNF. Failing that, the Committee asked if the Director himself would deliver the requests of the temporary workers, as summarized in a document prepared for the occasion. The Director was decidedly opposed to even this simple solution.

At this point, we met to decide as to whether or not to carry out demonstrative actions. During this discussion, we received a call from the President of the INFN, who explicitly asked us to abstain from any sort of demonstration. The motivation for this request was to allow for this meeting, which was a long time in waiting on the part of INFN management, to be a forum for the discussion of the problems faced by the INFN, particularly as regards the situation of temporary workers, in a serene environment and without tension. Without an assurance of our collaboration, the President claimed that he would be forced to cancel the Minister’s visit, to the detriment of all involved.

As much as we were appalled by this declaration and by the lack of transparency with which the entire chain of events unfolded, the Coordinating Committee took responsibility for accommodating this request and suspending all initiatives, asking, in return, for an immediate meeting with the President for a debriefing concerning the meeting with the Minister, and in general, concerning the line of action being undertaken by the INFN to deal with the problem of temporary labor. The Executive Council, via Umberto Doselli, thanked us for the decision to abstain from demonstration and indicated that the President would be more than willing to meet with the temporary personnel next week.

We remain deeply disturbed and bitter because of the manner in which this episode was handled.. What could have simply been an occasion for constructive dialogue was transformed into an unnecessary clash between two parties that should be working together towards a common goal. The behavior of the LNF Director clearly demonstrated an attitude of paternalistic contempt. His behavior was completely out of line and cannot be seen except for in the most negative light.

We are therefore expecting a summons from the President for a meeting with the temporary personnel, of whom we expect the most widespread and energetic participation possible.

Coordinating Committee for INFN Temporary Workers
www.buconero.eu