"It would be serious not to find agreement at the work table“. To say it is Giorgio Napolitano, who yesterday evening also received President Monti and Minister Fornero at the Quirinale. That the President of the Republic felt the need to make his voice heard on an issue such as that of labor reform says a lot about the decisive impact that today's meeting between the Prime Minister and the social partners will have to try to to complete a negotiation whose extension "indefinitely" would be a truly negative signal: for the markets, but also for the stability of the political framework.
Of course, the Government has made it known several times that it is determined to carry out the reform even if there is no agreement with the social partners. And certainly, even in the event of negative responses at the table, he will bring his proposals to Parliament. But such a transition would face dangerous unknowns. First of all that of held by a majority which is already subject to strong internal tensions on other issues (Rai and anti-corruption regulations).. There is therefore no doubt that the government should find its wing in its ability to keep social forces together on labor reform. Hence the words of Napolitano, who also called on the unions "to enforce the general interest" of the country. But hence also what was said by Minister Fornero himself, who, in a conference of the "Sole 24 ore", explained that he was well aware "the added value" that would be able to carry out the reform on the strength of the agreement at the table with trade unions and businesses.
An especially political “added value”. From which the government would benefit above all, which would avoid new tensions and fibrillation between and in the parties that support it. There is no doubt that a lack of agreement would create serious problems especially for the Democratic Party. Bersani spent a lot to convince the CGIL to accept that the discussion was across the board, even touching on article 18. But the problems would not only concern the Pd, given that Casini for the third pole and even Alfano for the Pdl also consider the agreement as the main option to move forward with the reform. Of course, there are some worrying signs. Certainly neither Camusso nor Cigil is helped by the announcement of a two-hour strike today by Fiom to protest against any changes to article 18.
Just as it is known that on entry flexibility and on overcoming the so-called atypical contracts (those of precarious workers) there is no shortage of reservations and resistance from companies. But at this point the word is at the table where Prime Minister Monti, Minister Fornero and the representatives of the social partners will meet this afternoon. The agreement will be possible if, as hoped by the Head of State, both the unions and the businesses, negotiating until the last minute, are able to make the "general interest of the country" prevail. To which a large part of politics and, above all, government action have only recently resumed giving due attention.
