25/10/2005.

Two years after the introduction of a new employment legislation by the Berlusconi Government (the so-called Legge Biagi) several sources show a deterioration of working conidtions in Italy. The newspaper "Sole - 24 ore" has carried out a survey among companies: 42% of the Italian companies employs at least one precarious worker. The percentage of precarious workers finding a permanent employment after their first temporary contract is very low: about 6.5% while 7.3% of those workers became jobless or are working illegally.

A study recently published by the IRES (a trade union research institute) finds that 46% of the precarious workers earn less than 1000 € per month. 80% of the precarious workers declare that they are not satisfied by their working conditions. They feel that they are excluded from basic workers' rights in different fields like maternity protection, trade union rights and social benefits in case of disease.

• A synthesis by "Repubblica" (in Italian)
• Report from the IRES (in Italian)