The minimum wage and the fight against blank resignations have brought together opposition parties, who, despite losing to the votes of the center-right, waged a common battle in the Chamber of Deputies on the government’s labor bill. Majority parties rejected an amendment on the minimum wage and instead approved a provision in the bill that “disassembles” the Jobs Act in its efforts to combat blank resignations and disguised dismissals as worker resignations. The Five Star Movement tried to defend the old Renzi-era measures, while Italia Viva this time abstained on the minimum wage issue, avoiding taking a stand against it. The labor bill was approved by the Council of Ministers a year and a half ago in May 2023, but only reached the chamber last Thursday.
Opportunity arose for opposition parties to count themselves through an amendment, signed by all minority parties except Italia Viva, proposing to introduce a minimum wage in Italy. Giuseppe Conte, the main signatory of the amendment, boldly stated in the chamber: “we will never give up”. These words were echoed by other opposition figures, including Arturo Scotto of the Democratic Party, Nicola Fratoianni and Angelo Bonelli of Avs, Benedetto della Vedova of +Europe, and Antonio d’Alessio of Azzione, who accused the majority of doing nothing about the wage issue. While Renzi and Conte were busy discussing the regional elections in Emilia, Iv’s group leader Davide Faraone announced an abstention rather than a negative vote as in December. Shortly after, a provision in the bill “disassembled” the Jobs Act.
The law enacted by the Renzi government (Legislative Decree 151 of 2015) confirmed individual dismissals introduced by the Fornero law and imposed strict rules (Article 26) to combat dismissals disguised as voluntary resignations by employees. The labor bill expanded the options for these dismissals, often linked to blank resignations, which particularly affect women during maternity leave. In the commission, the opposition managed to pass an amendment to improve the situation, and in the chamber, the Dem Chiara Gribaudo presented another amendment that would have resolved the issue by introducing an obligation for the labor inspectorate to verify such resignations. Once again, opposition parties voted together, while Conte stated on Bruno Vespa’s show that “the wide field no longer exists.” However, the majority votes once again surpassed those of the united opposition, rejecting the amendment.
In conclusion, the minimum wage and fighting against blank resignations have become central issues for opposition parties, who have united in their efforts to amend the government’s labor bill. Despite facing defeat in the chamber, the opposition has vowed to continue fighting for fair wages and protection against disguised dismissals. The labor bill, introduced by the Renzi government, has sparked controversy over its impact on workers’ rights and job security. The majority parties have rejected amendments aimed at protecting workers from unfair dismissal practices, highlighting the ongoing conflict between the government and opposition on labor issues. The outcome of this battle will have significant implications for workers’ rights and job security in Italy.
