During the hearing before the Joint Committees on Justice and Labor of the Chamber of Deputies regarding resolutions on the exploitation of workers in the Prato textile district, CNA and Confartigianato highlighted the following priorities:
- Strengthen controls in a structural and coordinated manner;
- Introduce digital traceability tools for production supply chains;
- Ensure effective protection for reporting workers;
- Promote companies operating in full compliance with the law.
Caporalato (Labor Exploitation)
The Confederations emphasized the need to systematically combat illegality, moving beyond episodic or emergency interventions and directing public action toward a stable, continuous, and measurable model based on a permanent task force dedicated to the district and supported by multi-year resources.
“The fight against illegality is an essential condition to protect lawful work, ensure fair competition, and safeguard the reputation of the Prato textile district and Made in Italy. Only a stable, coordinated, and measurable public oversight can prevent exploitation from continuing to penalize legitimate businesses and workers.”
Supply Chain Traceability
Particular emphasis was placed on transparency and governance within the production supply chain.
According to the Confederations, the introduction of digital traceability tools and clear accountability of clients and lead companies represents an essential step to:
- Counter cascading subcontracting;
- Make the chain of responsibilities identifiable;
- Prevent illegal practices from impacting the final production stage.
Social Sustainability
A further central point concerns the protection of workers who are victims of exploitation.
CNA and Confartigianato reiterated that the detection of irregularities is possible only if accompanied by concrete protections for whistleblowers. Such protections reduce vulnerability related to employment, housing, and administrative conditions, and support real pathways out of illegality.
Qualification of the Prato District
The Confederations also highlighted the importance of complementing enforcement actions with measures to qualify the district, aimed at rewarding and making visible the virtuous companies that respect regulations and invest in quality, safety, and sustainability.
Within this framework, the project “Laboratorio Legalità Prato – Permanent Task Force” was recalled, inspired by the best practices already tested locally, such as the “Lavoro Sicuro” Plan of the Tuscany Region, and designed as a replicable model for other industrial districts.
