Seren: my name is Seren Nimrold.I’m 30 years old.

Interviewer: Where are you from?

S: I was born here [in Italy]. So, I’ve been here for about three years now. And I started working here. 

I: And you said you went back to Sri Lanka at some point?

S: I studied in Sri lanka. I did an MBA degree at the university of Sri Lanka. After finishing everything, I was focusing on repairing computers for five years. And then i can hear. Now after coming here and working, it has been about two and a half to three years. I’m working at this workplace [motions].

I: What is your role within the factory?

S: So my main job is to take care of the final process and to operate the CNC and the laser machine. I mainly focus on the technology side and it’s difficult to find people like me with this knowledge. 

I: are you getting paid for your knowledge or whatever qualification you have? 

S: I think I am getting a fair amount of money for the work I do. Mostly it depends on what experience you have in that field. I think I am satisfied with the position I’m in and my experience so far. 

I: How long did it take for you to get a permanent contract?

S: They initially gave a six month probation period to check the ability of work. When we first started they didn’t put us on the machines. They were using us to solder and fold small metal sheets. After six months of working there I had a problem with the residency permit. After solving that, they made it permanent right away. 

I: Do you plan to stay at this factory?

S: I have to get the experience at least for another two or three years more. Because to take the knowledge of this field. I have a small idea to do a course on the CNC side. If i get that experience I can go and work for a higher pay. 

I have a target. 

I: Do you have family members living with you here in Florence, Italy?

S: I am the only one living here right now [of my family] I have rented a house in campi vicenzi, I Firenze. I have submitted the documents for reunification with my wife anyway [who is in Sri Lanka] with the processing time of the documentation in Firenze it will usually take three months but I think it will take more than that period of time, it might even go beyond eight months. For now, it’s past four months of waiting time. So my target is to settle down here with my family. After settling I think we should look for a future plan.  

I: What brought you back to Italy specifically?

S: Because most of our family members they came to Italy to earn and they bought a house in Sri Lanka, so the main purpose is because of the economy crisis. So for the last five years when I was working in Sri Lanka my salary was 100,000 lkr. So when we compare that amount here, I can earn around 500 to 600,000 lkr. When it’s five times better than what I was earning back there I can do the same amount of work and I can have a savings. 

S: So within Europe there are good countries but I chose [Italy] because I was born here and my documents have been here since the beginning. I always had a little curiosity to come and see, as I lived here when I was a child. So when I was 18 I was in Verona for two or three months just for the renewal of my permesso di soggiorno and I went back to Sri Lanka because the University was starting. 

S: I didn’t have any experience but I wanted to try [anyway] with the economic crisis within Sri Lanka. Yes there are countries, for example like Finland, where my cousin used to live, he always says it’s good over there. So there are no big plans yet, but the place I live now is stable for me. It depends on the future. 

I: How many Sri Lankans work at the factory?

S: There are only two, me and my father-in-law. Yeah me and my wife’s father. The rest are their family members, it’s a family business. 

I: I thought you said only the bosses were Italian while all the employees are immigrants?

S: Yea they took. They were three people who, after they gained experience here, they got offered more at another place so they left. And there are some that came, but they never got to know how to work here. Even we hired a Sri Lankan, but they checked for the qualities and the workflow because the work process will be based on the guy who starts to fold the metal at first. The workline speed works according to him. If he didn’t keep up with the speed things might get messed up. It works like a flowchart. But yeah, we have hired people: Italians, Egyptians, Sri Lankans, even an Indian. 

I: Your boss was telling us that Italians don’t work. What do you think about this?

S: yeah i agree with you, honestly you can see it through the body language or the behavior when they work. 

I: Have you struggled with poor treatment at this job or other jobs? Such as physical or mental abuse or the withholding of wages?

S: In my position I don’t think I have a problem like that. Generally I’ve seen it, people who say yes to everything. If you take myself, when I joined here I didn’t know Italian. For example, the lady told me to close the door and I couldn’t even understand that, until she said it in English. 

S: I’ve seen people saying yes to everything. Basically, I don’t have any problem with my boss or others, we are like a family. They never force us or imply a task to be done in any sort of time. Somedays I get assigned to do only two or three jobs, so flow moves slowly. There’s no such rush.

S: When it comes to laws and regulations, my company has taught us safety and regulations, and we have even done exams after attending courses about working under risk situations.

I: Do they support you in learning new skills or developing yourself professionally?

S: Last year me and another coworker did a course about 3D printing because we have a 3D printer upstairs at the factory. They are trying their best to give us knowledge about the future tech.

S: But again, I agree with you with that statement because I’ve seen people, those who work as caregivers and factory workers.

I: Do you enjoy working at this factory? Would you recommend this workplace to others?

S: Yeah, I’m satisfied working. We even get Christmas gifts. They have built and earned the employee satisfaction. I’ve seen factories with no benefits or where employees are mistreated. And every month we get coupons for groceries, which is apart from the salary, around 21 coupons to purchase at Esselunga or other supermarkets. So, I don’t have a problem.  

I: Do they pay you accorded to your contract and do they compensate you for overtime hours?

S: We get paid the same amount. It's like a fixed salary, I think it must be around 9 euros per hours. The total depends on the hours you work in total. If you work 30 min extra that will be paid and mentioned in the pay slip. They pay according to the punch card hours.

I: Are they flexible about leave time?

S: At any time of need. Yesterday I had an exam. I asked permission from the boss that I have to go to write the A2 Italian language test and I left work at 2pm. 

I: Do they ever pay you in cash or is it always documented and paid on time?

S: No, no, everything is included inside the pay slip. Extra hours, 0.5 hours, and whatever the hours worked are mention in it. Without a flow of working we can’t go for extra hours. Because we work according to the flow, you can’t work as you want. 

I dont have such problems

I: And how did you get this job?

S: They were searching for someone for the position I’m doing right now and, with the help of my father-in-law, I got contacted through an email that I was selected for this job. I didn’t had any visa problems because I have the carta long-term permesso di soggiorno. I can enter the EU anytime without restrictions. As soon as I came I started working.

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This interview could not have been possible without Seren’s willingness to share his story or the help of our translator, Athick Ahamed. Thank you to all those who helped bring his story to light.