Maurizia Bonvini, a journalist based in Milan, is following the movement.

The Asinara movement represents the current economic situation in Sardinia, where some sixty factories have closed their doors over the past few years. The Vilnys factory case is particularly emblematic because just before the regional elections in 2009 [Italian Prime Minister] Silvio Berlusconi came to Sardinia and promised that he would defend local jobs. His candidate, Ugo Cappellaci, was voted in, but nine months later, the problems started.

The Vilnys factory is a petrochemical plant which produces polyvinyl chloride (PVC). But its main raw material supplier, energy giant ENI, has refused to supply the plant since the start of November, forcing redundancies. Why? The workers say the official excuse is because Vilnys owes ENI 20 million euros.

That's hard to believe however, because by forcing Vilnys to lay off workers it's certainly not going to get its money back. The workers think it's really because ENI wants to bring its Sardinian petrochemical activities to a close; perhaps even in the whole of Italy. That would suggest why the Vilnys managers have been in negotiations with the Italian finance minister.

The only hope for the workers on Asinara Island is that the factory will be bought out by the Qatari group Ramco, which is planning to invest in Italy's petrochemical sector.... But will it protect the jobs of these workers?"