Eurofound

In March 1999, the Italian cabinet approved a bill amending the law on strikes in essential public services. The new law, if approved by parliament, would extend regulations on the right to strike to non-dependent categories of worker and increase the prerogatives of the Guarantee Authority, the body which guarantees the enforcement of the law.

In March 1999, the sectoral employers' organisation and trade unions signed an agreement aimed at relaunching the textiles industry in the South of Italy. The most innovative aspects of the agreement concern the relaunch of investment, the fight against undeclared employment, vocational training, and the role of social partners in fostering development.

In March 1999, the Italian government intervened in a major dispute which had broken out over the negotiation of a new collective agreement for the banking sector. Talks had broken down, a strike had been held and others called, and companies had refused to make various payments and promotions provided for in the existing agreement Following the intervention, negotiations restarted, the strikes were called off and employers resumed the disputed payments.

This document gives a summary of the activities planned by the Foundation in 1999, within the framework of its four-year rolling programme 1997-2000, ‘Facing up to the challenges of European society’.

Communiqué is the newsletter of the Foundation. It is published 10 times per year and provides up-to-date news and information on the Foundation's work and research. The January/February issue contains the following articles: Gender report; EMU; Linking welfare and work; Green companies; and Stress at Work.

Communiqué is the newsletter of the Foundation It is published 10 times per year and provides up-to-date news and information on the Foundation's work and research. The July-August issue contains the following articles: the Finnish Presidency; EPOC report; new incentives for sustainability; IREC conference.

Closely related to the current Sunday working controversy (AT9811111N [1]) is that of working on religious holidays, most prominently the long-running dispute over keeping shops open on 8 December (the day of the Immaculate Conception). This Catholic holiday has been under attack from shopkeepers for years, particularly but not exclusively in border areas, because shoppers use the holiday for excursions to Bavaria, Italy and Hungary. Manufacturing sectors are not involved in this dispute, as here establishments have been facing fewer and fewer difficulties in obtaining trade union consent for work on Sundays and holidays and, citing technological necessity, have always been able to run continuous production processes. As in the case of Sunday working, the shopkeepers' vocal opponents are the trade unions and the Catholic church, though a significant group of the shopkeepers themselves would prefer competitors not to have any choice about staying closed. The Union of Salaried Employees (Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten, GPA), in unison with the Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer, AK), has been adamant that opening on religious holidays or, for that matter, on Sundays or even Saturday afternoons does not increase turnover. [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/sunday-working-controversy-resurfaces

Globalization of the market, the impact of the information society, demographic and structural change and a persistently high level of unemployment; together these factors are placing unprecedented pressure on the economic and social structure of the European Union. In this context, the Foundation has examined the contribution it can make to the planning and establishment of better living and working conditions as we move toward the 21st century. Employment will be the key focus for its future work.

In October 1997, the Italian Government was thrown into crisis over its attempts to push the 1998 Budget through Parliament. Trade union and employers' organisations had approved the Budget and called for an end to the political crisis, which was resolved in mid-month.