In June 2003, after five months of negotiations, the Confindustria employers' confederation and the three main trade union confederations (Cgil, Cisl and Uil) signed a pact aimed at relaunching development, employment and competitiveness in Italy. The agreement focuses on research, training, the
A referendum on extending the right to reinstatement for unfairly dismissed workers provided by Article 18 of the Workers' Statute to all companies (it currently applies only to those with over 15 workers) was held in Italy in June 2003. However, it failed because only 25.7% of the Italian
During 2003, Italian trade unions - and especially the Cisl confederation - have been repeatedly threatened and attacked by terrorist groups (with 43 such attacks, including 12 fire-bombings, recorded between July 2002 and May 2003). The minister of the interior has highlighted the threat to unions
In May 2003, Confindustria, Italy’s main employers’ association, held its annual assembly. Its president, Antonio D’Amato, addressed some key issues in his address, including the reform of the pension system, Italy’s economic recovery, the tax burden, welfare reform, labour market reform, the public
In February 2002, the Vice Prime Minister, Gianfranco Fini, and the three main trade union confederations - the General Confederation of Italian Workers (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro, Cgil), the Italian Confederation of Workers’ Unions (Confederazione Italiana Sindacato Lavatori, Cisl
In May 2003, elections to Rsu trade union representation bodies were held at Fiat's largest plant in Italy, the Mirafioiri site in Turin. Fiom-Cgil won the largest share of the vote, while Fim-Cisl came second (and first in the plant's important bodywork department).
In April 2003, a new sectoral collective agreement was signed for some 8,000 Italian print workers. As well as a 4.6% pay increase over two years, the deal provides for increased occupational pension contributions, examination of a new job classification system and the creation of various new joint
In April 2003, Italy's three main trade union confederations, Cgil, Cisl and Uil, met the Minister of Labour to discuss the content of a'proxy law' on reform of the pension and social security system, currently under discussion in parliament. The unions made a number of proposals for amendments to
In March 2003, the Italian parliament approved a reform of the schools system. The changes include a new combined school/work path for students between the ages of 15 and 18, as well as greater choice and decentralisation. Trade unions are largely opposed to the reform, while employers are in favour
In March 2003, the three main Italian trade union confederations - Cgil, Cisl and Uil - called a 15-minute nationwide work stoppage and held a joint meeting of their executive committees, to express opposition to terrorism. The unions were responding to the killing of a police officer by the Red