Italy: veto referendum jeopardizes some of the Jobs Act’s key measures
On 11 January 2017 the Constitutional Court will decide whether or not to allow three referenda put forward by the Cgil that aim to abrogate significant elements of the Renzi government’s major labor market reform (c.f. article No. 8763). The union confederation garnered more than 3 million citizens’ votes in favor of the proposals. The first referendum looks to abolish the possibility of individual redundancy and return to the ‘famous’ ‘Article 18’, workers’ statute, whereby those made redundant could turn to the courts and request their re-employment. The Cgil is looking to extend the measure to all businesses with more than five staff as compared to fifteen previously. The two other referenda treat the abolition of the ‘voucher’ system (a type of cheque-book based payment system for jobs carried out on an ad hoc basis but serious and inappropriate over-use had become a major issue), and the reintroduction of guarantees for sub-contracting workers.