Wikipedia

Jobs Act (Italy)

The Jobs Act was a reform of labour law in Italy aimed at making the labour market more flexible. Promoted and implemented by the Renzi government through the issuance of various legislative provisions, it was completed in 2016. The name was inspired by the homonymous provision of the Obama administration in 2012, although it had different characteristics. The provision, bitterly opposed by various political groups and some labour unions, was adopted with the aim of reducing unemployment by encouraging companies to hire.

History

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Upon becoming prime minister, Matteo Renzi said that labour market reform, which was thought to be "long overdue",[1] and was opposed by major trade unions and organised labour,[2] to introduce labour market flexibility, would be at the top of his agenda to improve the state of the Italian economy.[3][4][5] On 12 March 2014, the Renzi Cabinet issued a law-decree on fixed-term contracts, called the Poletti Decree, from the name of the Labour Minister Giuliano Poletti,[6][7][8] as well as a bill proposing major reforms to the Italian labour market called the Jobs Act.[9][10] A reduction in the tax burden of about €80 was announced for those earning less than €1,500 per month.[11] On 30 April, Renzi and Marianna Madia, the Minister for the Public Administration, presented the guidelines for the reform of the public administration,[12] which was approved by the Renzi Cabinet on 13 June,[13][14] before becoming law on 7 August.[15]

 
Trade union protesters demonstrate near the Colosseum against Renzi's labour market reforms

In September 2014, the government sought approval for the Jobs Act, which provided for, among other things, the abolition of Article 18 of the Workers' Statute, which protected workers from unjustified dismissal.[16] The proposal was criticised by organised labour, especially the largest trade union, the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), and its leaders Susanna Camusso and Maurizio Landini.[17] Moreover, the left wing of the Democratic Party (PD), by then led by Renzi's rival and former PD secretary Pier Luigi Bersani, criticised the government for the reform, threatening to vote against it.[18][19]

On 29 September, the National Committee of the PD voted to support the Jobs Act, despite the disagreements within the party, with 130 votes in favour, 20 against, and 11 abstaining.[20] On 9 October, the Senate voted to approve the Jobs Act, and the landmark reform passed with 165 votes in favour to 111 against, marking the first step for the most ambitious economic legislation of the eight-month-old government. Before the vote, Labour Minister Poletti was forced to cut his speech short due to the loud protests of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and Lega Nord (Lega) oppositions, some of whom threw coins and papers.[21] German chancellor Angela Merkel, who was visiting Milan and had been among the most vocal politicians regarding Italy's need for speedy economic reforms, said the labour law marked an "important step" to reduce "employment barriers" in the eurozone's third-largest economy.[22]

On 25 October, almost one million people took part in a mass protest in Rome, organised by the CGIL in opposition to the labour reforms of the government. Some high-profile members of the left-wing faction of the PD, including Gianni Cuperlo, Stefano Fassina, and Giuseppe Civati, also participated in the protest.[23] On 8 November, more than 100,000 public employees protested in Rome in a demonstration organised by the three largest trade unions in the country, the CGIL, the CISL, and the UIL.[24] On 25 November, the Chamber of Deputies approved the Jobs Act with 316 votes; the M5S, Lega, and almost forty members of the PD abstained from the vote to protest against the reform.[25] On 3 December, the Senate gave the final approval it needed to become law.[26]

In January 2017, the Jobs Act was taken to the Constitutional Court of Italy;[27] Renzi and his supporters said that the law was necessary for job creation and to attract investors, while its critics responded that it diminished workers' rights without generating new jobs. The court rejected a petition, which received 3.3. million signatures, for a referendum to be held about the Job Acts.[28] In September 2018, the Jobs Acts was partially repealed after the same court declared the compensation rules for claims of unlawful dismissal to be unconstitutional,[29][30][31] on the grounds that these rules were not in line with the principles of "reasonableness and equality" and conflicted with the concept of "protection of work" as granted by Articles 4 and 35.[32] In July 2020, the court accepted the questions raised from the tribunals of Bari and Rome about the same matter, ruling the compensation rules to be in violation of the constitutional principles of equality, reasonableness, and job protection;[33] it was the first time that a ruling was signed by three women.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rostek-Buetti, Andreas (5 December 2016). "Opinion: Italy's baroque system". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  2. ^ Faris, Stephan (8 May 2014). "The Italian job". Time. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  3. ^ Trayneor, Ian (4 July 2014). "Italian PM attacks Bundesbank over claim Rome risks eurozone recovery". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  4. ^ Balestreri, Giuliano (3 December 2014). "Jobs Act, ecco come cambia il mercato del lavoro". La Repubblica (in Italian). Libertà e Giustizia. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  5. ^ Lassandori, Andrea (2015). "La riforma del lavoro del Governo Renzi ed il sistema di relazioni sindacali". Questione Giustizia (in Italian). Libertà e Giustizia. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  6. ^ Rigamonti, Matteo (May 2014). "Perché il decreto Poletti segna una svolta importante nel nostro diritto del lavoro". Il Tempo (in Italian). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  7. ^ Services, Kelly (5 June 2014). "Jobs Act, il decreto Poletti sul lavoro spiegato in un'infografica" (in Italian). Yahoo!. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  8. ^ Giubileo, Francesco (9 June 2017). "Il ritorno dei contratti di lavoro precari". Lavoce.info (in Italian). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Approval of Jos Act by Italian Senate". Ther Word. 20 October 2014. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  10. ^ Menghini, Luigi (2018). "Contratto di lavoro a termine e contratto a tempo indeterminato: attualità di una alternativa". Rivista Labor (in Italian). No. 3. Pacini Giuridica. ISSN 2533-0721. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Governo, Renzi: 'Dal primo maggio 80 euro in più a chi ne prende meno di 1500'". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 12 March 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Riforma PA: vogliamo fare sul serio" (in Italian). Council of Ministers. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  13. ^ "13 giugno 2014, via libera alla riforma della p.a." Servizi Demografici (in Italian). 17 June 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Riforma Pa e modifiche a processo telematico: il testo coordinato in Gazzetta". Altalex (in Italian). 9 September 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Convertito il decreto sulla riforma della P.A.: ora 'é legge'". Il Quotidiano della Pubblica Amministrazione (in Italian). 7 August 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  16. ^ Patriarca, Fabrizio; Tilli, Riccardo (31 March 2017). "Decreto Poletti, Jobs Act e esoneri contributivi: cosa è cambiato nel mercato del lavoro italiano?". Etica Economia (in Italian). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Lavoro, la battaglia sull'articolo 18, Cgil a Renzi: 'Basta insulti'" (in Italian). ANSA. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Articolo 18, Renzi avverte il Pd: 'La riforma dà diritti'. Da Brunetta 'soccorso azzurro'". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 21 September 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  19. ^ "Jobs Act, Bersani: 'Articolo 18 è dignità. Renzi governa col mio 25%'". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 23 September 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Jobs act, sì da direzione Pd. Minoranza divisa. Renzi: 'Pronto a confronto con i sindacati'". La Repubblica (in Italian). 29 September 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  21. ^ Zampano, Giada (8 October 2014). "Italy's Renzi Wins Senate Confidence Vote on Labor Proposals". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  22. ^ Politi, James (9 October 2014). "Victory for Matteo Renzi as Italy's Senate backs labour reforms". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  23. ^ "Italy job reforms: CGIL union organises mass protest". BBC. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  24. ^ "Roma, statali in piazza contro governo: Siamo in 100mila". Il Sole 24 Ore (in Italian). 8 November 2014. Archived from the original on 20 November 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  25. ^ "Jobs act, Camera approva testo. Fuori dall'Aula Fi, Lega, M5s e 40 deputati Pd". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). 25 November 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  26. ^ Bertini, Carlo (4 December 2014). "Via libera al Senato, il Jobs act è legge: abolito l'articolo 18". La Stampa (in Italian). Retrieved 11 February 2022. Updated 24 June 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  27. ^ "Jobs act, il verdetto sul referendum Il tifo di Renzi per il sì della Consulta". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 9 January 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022. Updated 11 January 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  28. ^ "Italy court blocks challenge to flagship Renzi reform". The Local Italy. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  29. ^ Colarusso, Gabriella (26 September 2018). "Sentenza sul Jobs Act, ecco cosa cambia". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  30. ^ Martino, Enzo (3 October 2018). "Jobs act, il criterio di indennizzo è incostituzionale. Così crolla uno dei pilastri della riforma Renzi". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  31. ^ Covelli, Roberta (9 November 2018). "La Corte Costituzionale ha smontato il Jobs act di Renzi (e anche il decreto Di Maio)". Fanpage (in Italian). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  32. ^ Pavone, Attilio (21 January 2019). "More uncertainty follows the Italian Constitutional Court's partial repeal of the Jobs Act". Global Workplace Insider. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  33. ^ "Consulta: no indennità licenziamento ancorata ad anzianità servizio". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 16 July 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  34. ^ "Corte Costituzionale, la firma storica di tre donne sulla sentenza del Jobs Act". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 16 July 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
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