We the Italians October 3, 2014 - 44 | Page 45

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In particular, the unionists dread discriminatory terminations for weaker categories, like pregnant women or sexual and racial minorities.

The unions, the opposition and several scholars claim that Italy is not competitive because of different issues, like bureaucracy, credit crunch, cost of fuel, gas, electricity and waste disposal, tax burden and courthouses slowness. All these remarks are undoubtedly correct, and the clause 18 looks like a scapegoat, but the government wants to go on with its labor market reform and it is going to start from it.

Meanwhile, another frontline is opening. Mr. Renzi promised that next year almost 150.000teachers with ministerial qualification are going to be hired by the public system, from primary to high schools. This is going to be another fundamental issue: the public debt is Italy’s sword of Damocles, it conditions every policy the government adopts, and more employees, even if utterly needed, mean more expenses. Furthermore, despite the intake, the question wouldn’t be solved at all. What about the thousands who didn’t take the 4,000 euro course to get ministerial qualification? Not only they have been mistreated by sudden law changes through the years, but they are good, extremely skilled educators. After masters, PhDs and any kind of additional diplomas, they have been teaching for years in the same milieu that is going to reject them in less than twelve months. Some activists already started a campaign to get another examination and obtainthe qualification with it, but it is not going to be easy at all.

We know it is a dirty Job, Mr. Renzi, but please, spare us the workers’ bloodbath. We already had enough.

By Francesca Papasergi