Mission Europe for departing hero of Italy's workers
Leader of Italy?s largest union CGIL, fierce opponent of the government of conservative prime minister Silvio Berlusconi (see WIT for ), and an immensely popular left-wing political figure, Sergio Cofferati is preparing to step down as secretary-general of the 5.6 million member union at the end of next month. After twenty-five years of working for the union, Mr. Cofferati will be returning to his job at tire and cable manufacturer Pirelli---a job which will leave him time to direct CGIL's research foundation and use it to promote a pan-European labor movement. Cofferati has long believed that the only answer to the resurgence of conservative governments in Europe and to long-term pressures to succumb to American-style corporate capitalism, is a united labor movement pushing for a socially responsible Europe.
See "Mission Europe for departing hero of Italy's workers", LAURA PAUL BETTS, Financial Times, August 8, 2002