In recent days a discussion has opened in Milan between the trade unions and the Municipality of Milan because it has been realised, as it had been punctually and announced by many quarters, that the Dignity Decree, beyond its laudable intentions, would have produced a series of very harmful inconveniences for a certain number of workers who, instead of being guaranteed, would have been fired.
It happened punctually that the constraints placed on the renewal of fixed-term contracts, in particular the risk of opening disputes with possible sentences of permanent employment for work of a seasonal or limited time nature, they pushed the companies (not only private but also those public funtains such as Sea Handling, Milano Ristorazione and Amsa) not to renew expiring fixed-term contracts (nearly 700) and ad hire new workers.
Il Employment balance could obviously not change but it would not make much sense (as the trade union organizations point out) to get rid of already professionally trained personnel to hire new workers who probably have never carried out that activity. Without taking into account the fact, more serious, that a simpler management of the renewals of fixed-term contracts can favor a gradual process of transformation of fixed-term contracts into permanent employment relationships.
Beyond any further consideration on the Dignity Decree, it should be noted that the creativity of the union dialectic and the foresight of politicians of the First Republic make available a tool that could correct the mistake recently made by the legislator. This is article 8 of decree law 138 of 2011 (so-called Sacconi decree) which would allow, if the majority of trade union organizations and companies were to agree, to restore the status quo ante of the legislation referring to fixed-term contracts.
It is a completely legitimate procedure, often used in a low voice, but which achieves its goal. Provided that in this case the objective is the extension of the fixed-term contract for those who, by applying the Dignity Decree, would become unemployed destined to ask for Naspi (as the unemployment benefit is currently called). Today, 18 September, a meeting is being held in Milan to discuss which solution to adopt.
Of course it would be paradoxical that instead of dismantling the Jobs Act we should proceed with a restyling of the Dignity Decree.
