Il May 1 of the 2023 has some particular political and symbolic characteristics. Innovative. Similar to those that characterized the anniversary of April 25, 1945.
Firstly, the anniversary of the Liberation reconfirmed the indissoluble bond with the Constitution. The unification of Italy in 1861 had generalized the Albertine Statute. It was a concession. There Constitution launched on 1 January 1948 was a conquest. And the result of the Resistance, In which workers they played a leading role they organized a strike on 5 March 1943 in Turin; then they drove the Nazis out of Naples in September 1943; they participated in the clashes at Porta San Paolo with the Nazi-fascists after the cowardly escape of King Vittorio Emanuele.
Workers' struggle fundamental for the country
La workers' struggle was fundamental, he redeemed the dignity of our country and has safeguarded many factories from organized destruction in their retreat by the Nazis.
Bruno Buozzi with Joseph DiVittorio e Achilles Grandi he worked to bring about union unity. The name of the old CGDL (General Labor Confederation) has been changed to CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour).
The Republic and the Constitution
La Italian republic , Constitution they have been obtained with struggle, with sacrifices, with the determination of the world of work. The Italian Constitution is very clear. It's social. L'article 3 of the Constitution it does not limit itself to listing the rights of Italian citizens. The second paragraph is very precise: "It is the task of the Republic to remove the economic and social obstacles which, by effectively limiting the freedom and equality of citizens, prevent the full development of the human person and the effective participation of all workers to the political, economic and social organization of the country”.
At the end of 2022 it was introduced another change strengthening of the Constitution. especially theart.9 provides that “The republic promotes the development of culture and scientific and technical research. It protects the landscape and scientific and technical research. It protects the landscape and the historical and artistic heritage of the nation. Protect the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems, also in the interest of future generations. The state law regulates the ways and forms of animal protection”. Me too'art.41 of the Constitution has been modified: “Private economic initiative is free. It cannot take place in conflict with social utility or in such a way as to cause damage to health, the environment, safety, freedom or human dignity".
The importance of trade unions
Le trade union organizations are an indispensable subject to make citizens' rights operational, concrete, tangible. This is why it is essential that the trade unions are heard by the Government and Parliament before the reforms that are necessary after the turnaround of the European Union.
At other times in the history of our republic the trade unions have been involved. The Italian trade union has a long reformist tradition. He's not an agitator. He was a protagonist in the strengthening of democracy, in the implementation of social reforms, In development of the economy, in the European choice. The confrontation, participation, preventive involvement of workers is fundamental for politics, for carrying out reforms by avoiding wars by mistake.
Il Italian union has a union membership rate of 31,6%, lower only than that of the Scandinavian countries. The trade union is a collective organization in the Italian political or social scenario very present in the world of work (the elections of the RSU see the participation in the vote of 80-90%. It has great potential, many of which is unexpressed. It is a decisive interlocutor for making reforms.
The evolution of workers' behaviour
We must not forget the changes taking place in Italy and in Europe. A process of outsourcing is underway, with the disappearance of the mass worker, with the fragmentation of professional figures and therefore of interests, with the new flexibility of work implemented in an exaggerated way, with the extension of the area of self-employment. The speed with which these processes are moving forward is faster than expected and therefore is doubly worrying. Added to this is the change in worker behavior.
There is a powerful, indeed overpowering, emergence of subjectivity. One prevails more and more difficulty of people to join and to recognize themselves in the collective subjects often experienced as clothes that are too loose or too tight to wear comfortably.
Another change is given by shifting of the horizons of economic power: a power that moves from the industrial to the financial sphere, from the national to the international one. The world of capital no longer has borders, and the union, the parties have no tools, I won't say to oppose it, but not even to control it.
The situation in Italy
Added to these planetary factors are factors specific to the Italian situation. The first is the social fragmentation, the search by everyone to enhance their own specificities, which has led to the fall of some values, those of solidarity. The motto now is "each for himself", God for all.
Another factor of difficulty is given by crisis of the left. I don't want to reopen an additional front of controversy, but with the sincerity of the merciless analysis that we are forced to apply to ourselves and to others, we must say that the uncertainty, the loss of compass of the left has repercussions on the union, pushing it to fluctuate , swinging, divided, falling from time to time into the trap of the "plus one" in the run-up to the movements.
We run the risk of not knowing how to choose or of being divided between the professionalism and egalitarianism, between movementism and compatibilism, between the struggle union and that of the government. The change in the economy has increased ruthless competition on the markets according to the "just in time" law (first sell, then produce) and "maximum flexibility".
By now, a very strong one prevails in Italy even more than in Europe polarization in the economy and in work: on the one hand the "globalist" companies which guarantee workers good salaries and a work organization capable of recognizing and enhancing talent and the desire for autonomy.
On the other hand, companies that the political scientist exist resist and extend Paul Feltrin effectively defines Cayenne sectors (logistics and gig economy) in which there are no rights, the working conditions evoke slavery, the work is "on demand": (supply and demand are managed online through dedicated platforms and apps).
The decisive role of the union
That is why the role of union becomes decisive. It is necessary to counter the attempts that have been underway for some time that seek to make the union irrelevant, a spectator of inequalities, unable to intervene. It is not so. It doesn't have to be like that. The union must demand participation and involvement in companies not leaving the reorganization processes to management alone, significantly increasing one's own technical-operative skills of comparison on the contexts in which one finds oneself operating and of counseling.
Philip Turati in 1920 he proposed an organized law to "remake Italy" in which he anticipated the request for a statute for workers and for a democracy in the company to ensure that through the union they were considered as condominiums in the companies. Bruno Buozzi he always added in those years in discussions with employers: "you need to last a minute longer than the boss, knowing at least one book more than him".
It is needed by the union today and tomorrow more dialogue, more participation, more competence, more passion. But the union is not enough, it must also be combative for protect workers and eliminate “cayenne” sectors with an inexorable fight against pseudo-contracts, starvation wages, exploitation. The trade union must impose discussion and participation in the ongoing process of technological change. Indeed, the risk of a polarization of the labor market must be avoided.
La division of the world of work if no action is taken it will not be between unions but risks being between professional workers (capable of being in the world of the Internet of things, big data and robots) and helpless workers who can only make their physical effort available by carrying out simplified tasks and really wearisome.
It is the hope that Bruno Trentin in one of his last essays, “Freedom Comes First,” he claimed for the future. Change the world, the action of the union must also change.
Contracts should not be made and experienced as an economic matrix (how much money in paychecks) they should be enriched by increasing the role of adapting professionalism to technological change and the new work organization.
Il May 1 so this year it must be a turning point. Freedom, solidarity, equality, technological innovation, participation are within reach. The union has a great opportunity to be one of the protagonists of change. It has a widespread presence in the area. It has a great representative capacity. It is good to show it to those who want to resize it, divide it, isolate it. But you need to use it.
°°°°Giorgio Benvenuto, former general secretary of Uil, was one of the major trade unionists of the twentieth century
