The Protocol on pensions, jobs and competition of 23 July 2007 is certainly one of the most important agreements between government and social partners in recent years, for its farrangingness and for the debate it has set off in public opinion. This is partly due to the significant involvement of workers in the referendum held on the text, as well as the high percentage of approval for its solutions. In method and solutions it provides an opportunity to analyse how consultation has developed and how it stands on an essentially bipolar political scene, and to verify the state of health of Italy’s welfare system in an age of epoch-making challenges such as globalisation and the ageing of the population. The article examines the structure of the protocol in relation to the pensions system, the regulation of labour relations and the labour market, and the competitiveness of the system.only subscribers can see the full article

Faced with the progressive ageing of the population, of which Italy has the world primacy, this paper examines the opportunity and urgency of concrete solutions to the requirement for reorganisation and consolidation of services/benefits for dependent persons. Possible solutions are prospected: prevention but also setting up a fund for dependent persons in order to curb the inevitable and realistic rise in social and health spending, the preparation, training and in general protection of the delicate care work performed by family members, care workers and service operators who look after dependent persons. A constant balance between quantitative increase and quality guarantees needs to be maintained and controlled by the public authorities.only subscribers can see the full article

This contribution analyses the present state of social regionalism in Italy through the financial dimension, following the profound changes that have overtaken the territorial organisation of responsibilities and functions. What emerges is a picture with a series of persistent features, rooted in certain historical factors that have accompanied the role of the Regions in social policies, but also some signs of change that indicate a desire on the part of the Regions to take the centre of the stage. The combination of these two elements offers possibile opportunities, but also risks that may be connected to the current territorial weighting of social policies towards the Regions.only subscribers can see the full article

The article draws on the recent regularisation to illustrate the importance of ethnic networks in insertion processes of immigrant workers. It is claimed that the importance of migratory networks is exalted by the reluctance of public policies for immigration management and by trends in the contemporary labour market. From this consideration, forms of «ethnic specialisation» are derived, which should not always be interpreted negatively as the alternative would be even more serious forms of social exclusion of immigrant workers. Finally, it illustrates network construction and ethical identification phenomena as the outcome of social construction processes in which endogenous dynamics of immigrant populations come up against stereotypes and prejudices of the host society, producing reciprocal reinforcement effects.only subscribers can see the full article

Italian migration policies are a highly conflictual policy area, where apparently opposed and polarised reform proposals are frequently presented. As a result there is a widespread impression that this field is notable for strong, opposed discontinuities over the last few decades. The paper documents how the choices in Italian migration policy have been notable for strong long-term continuities. If the reforms of migration legislation have gradually increased technical effectiveness of repressive regulations this effort has not had the result of greater capacity in dealing with the phenomenon.only subscribers can see the full article

The article describes some of the results of recent detailed research on critical features in the ongoing modernisation process in Italy as regards the redefinition of male and female roles and the social division of labour. Although the remixing of gender roles in the family is extremely asymmetric, there are also new trends and important signs of change. All the same the potential for spreading better balanced models for the division of labour between men and women is now being hindered by a deficit of conciliatory policies and quality of female employment.only subscribers can see the full article

The article goes over union history in the textile sector and the pecu-liar aspects of bargaining on working time in this sector in the last thirty years. Looking back over the 105 years since the foundation of th union from the perspective of two actors in the front line - enterprise delegates and in the leadership of the national textile union of the Cgil - the paper analyses the restructuring and reorganisation processes involving the textile industry: from the first collective negotiations on working time and the greater use of plants and flexibility, in the search for a more advanced synthesis between the competitive interests of the enterprises and the workers’ individual and collective requirements, until more recent years characterised by the globalisation process and the national contract signed in 2000.only subscribers can see the full article

Starting from a re-reading of the Constitution and the Fordist-Bismarckian ethos and foundations of Italian welfare, the author draws attention to some aspects being affected by the crisis and change. In particular he identifies in some sectors of welfare a trend – in line with the principles of the Constitution – towards a universalist vision that is making system more «mixed» than its original «pure» employment type. The article describes development of ordinary legislation in the early decades of the Republic and changes in labour and social law.only subscribers can see the full article

The main objective of this paper is to provide arguments needed to support the thesis that the most serious obstacle to the construction of a competitive and fair economy in Italy is represented by the production structure, characterised by the prevalence of small or micro companies and by a manufacturing specialisation centred mostly on traditional production. This structure acts as a hindrance to the utilisation of human capital encouraging growth strategies which are not focused on the introduction of innovations, thus proving to be fragile. The removal of this obstacle requires different policy interventions other than tax cuts, reduction in social spending and the insistence on the flexibilisation of the labour market.only subscribers can see the full article

The article examines the emergence of new «spaces of social citizenship» at sub-national level in Italy with reference to welfare policies. In this sector, intermediate levels have traditionally had a major role since the Regions were first set up, and this has gradually extended to the attribution of exclusive responsibility in the matter, thanks to the recent reform of section V of the Constitution. After tracing the historical development of welfare policies in Italy, the article analyses the differences that exist at regional level in terms both of expenditure and of services offered. The essay concludes with some reflections on scenarios and prospects that are opening in our country today for the welfare sector, particularly wth reference to the process of defining essential levels of services.only subscribers can see the full article