Ei-iE

Italian education unions have gone public to vent their opposition to the government’s vow of silence after calls to kick-start social dialogue on teachers’ employment conditions continue to go unanswered.

Education International’s (EI) Italian affiliates - FLC CGIL, CISL SCUOLA and UIL SCUOLA – have received no response to their request that the education minister explain proposed government measures contained in the 2015 law on work stability that will directly impact the employment relationship. These measures, including wages, fall within the contractual framework by law, the unions said in a 5 February joint statement.

Cuts and delays

The unions stressed that the government behaviour compromises “the correct and profitable performance of labour relations” and leads to “a climate of tension and concern among staff.”

In the absence of negotiations, there is a proliferation of rumours predicting a clear reduction in salaries, the teacher unions said. Also, while the ways in which teachers ‘deserving’ economic benefits would be identified remain unclear, is it very clear that salary increases due to the teacher ‘merite’ would be limited to 20 percent, compared to the current average salary increase tied to the length of service, they said.

Education unions also condemn the fact salaries not only remain well below the European average, but the hypothetical benefits of ‘merit’ for some would be made at the cost of heavy reductions in treatment for the rest of the profession. Added to this is the further postponement of contract renewals, leading to decreasing wages and the inability to adequately enhance the professionalism of education staff.

Pending issues pertaining to the teaching profession

Education workers do not deserve further humiliation, the education unions stated. In addition, the government's refusal to open a debate about the status of the teaching profession is an incentive for trade unions to mobilise in favour of long-held objectives: the renewal of the contract, work stability, and a full recognition of the educators’ work in terms of pay.

A rally is planned for 17 February in front of the Ministry of Education to request more fairness in the government’s recruitment plan to solve job insecurity. The unions warn that this is only the first act of a mobilisation that, in the absence of a response, will develop and take further steps to move forward education professionals’ demands, which have been disregarded for too long.