Against a background of rising xenophobia and closing borders in Europe, the Italian and Tunisian agrofood unions FLAI-CGIL and FGTA-UGTT are expanding their joint efforts to protect the rights of Tunisians working in Italy's agricultural and related sectors. FLAI-CGIL has been vigorously organizing to combat the network of criminal gangmasters [1](caporalato) who traffic workers and enforce illegal, dangerous and degrading working and living conditions.   

A 2013  joint agreement between the Italian and Tunisian unions established centers in three Tunisian cities - Tunis, Mahdia and Kairouan - which provide essential assistance and information on Italian industrial relations and collective agreements, social security, health and safety, professional training and migrants' rights. A fourth office will now be opened in Sfax, providing services for workers in the fishing industry.

Tunis, July 22, the new cooperation agreement is signed. Left to right: Abdessatar Zaabi (FGA-UGTT), Mansour Ouezani (FGA-UGTT), Ivana Galli (General Secretary FLAI-CGIL), Naima Hammami (UGTT). Behind are full time officers, shop stewards and local officers from the two agrofood unions.