Yesterday, in his hometown of Viareggio, Commander Claudio Tomei, 77, passed away. He was president of the maritime workers’ union Usclac from 2012 to 2024.
Tomei was one of the most important figures in the union world, a protagonist of numerous battles in favor of workers, including the one for the protection of mariners who worked in contact with asbestos, the one for the inclusion of maritime work in the list of ‘grueling’ jobs, the one to guarantee the right to vote for embarked mariners, and the one for a greater presence of women in the sector.
Tomei’s career began in 1965, with his first embarkation as a nautical cadet on the ocean fishing vessel “Genepesca 10”. Three years later, after obtaining his diploma, he sailed for over a year as a cadet on the “Paola Costa”, then as a third officer on the “Federico C”, both of the Costa line.
In 1978 came his first embarkation as commander, on the bulk carrier “Capitan Alberto” of the Landi Mare company. In 1981, he joined Eni as a commander, first on the platform “Scarabeo 2” in Sicily and then on the supply vessel “Agip Gryphea” and on other sister ships providing assistance services to platforms in the Mediterranean, until 1988. From that year until 2005, the commander then returned to work on board the “Perro Negro 2”, “Scarabeo 3”, “Scarabeo 4”, and “Perro Negro 4” platforms of Saipem.
Tomei’s union career began with his entry into Usclac in 1984, a union of which he was vice president from 2005 to 2012 before becoming president at the end of 2012. Friends, colleagues, and the entire team of the Usclac-Uncdim-Smacd-Cascodi union remember with great affection his competence, likability, frankness, and the great passion with which he always carried out his initiatives, always aimed at improving the working conditions of Italian mariners.
