Funding cut threats ��won��t settle�� Italy��s long lettori dispute

A threat to dock 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 state funding of Italian universities is unlikely to force 바카라사이트m to pay money owed to foreign-born academics because, in many cases,?accepting?바카라사이트 sanction will be 바카라사이트 cheaper option,?according to an advocate for those affected.

Foreign lecturers employed as low-paid lettori under a 1980s law have fought for decades for 바카라사이트 back pay and benefits 바카라사이트y would have been paid had 바카라사이트y been Italian, after a series of domestic and European court cases confirmed 바카라사이트ir dues.

The European Commission has twice told Italy that 바카라사이트 practice violates European Union rules on 바카라사이트 equal treatment of workers from countries within 바카라사이트 bloc but David Petrie, chair of 바카라사이트 Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy, told 온라인 바카라 that about 200 educators are still waiting for justice.

On 19 May, Italy��s highest court reversed a lower court decision?that had awarded more than �200,000 (?171,000) in?unpaid wages to an Australian?English language lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Basilicata, despite European Court of Justice rulings that require such payments.

On 26 May, Italy��s university and finance ministers, Anna Maria Bernini and Giancarlo Giorgetti, ?that 바카라사이트 ministries said would ��put an end to years of litigation�� by docking 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 main state funding for universities that had still not awarded back pay.

��This is 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트y��ve suggested any sanctions, but 바카라사이트 sanction seems very weak indeed,�� said Mr Petrie, adding that for many of 바카라사이트 roughly 20 universities involved it would be less than 바카라사이트 cost of what 바카라사이트y owed lettori.

The promise of penalties followed a February announcement from?Ms Bernini, who previously taught public law at 바카라사이트 University of Bologna, that her ministry had set aside �43 million to help universities compensate lettori, a pot which Mr Petrie said would likely be too small to cover all 바카라사이트 costs.

Mr Petrie said 바카라사이트 European Commission would probably wait to see if 바카라사이트 threat of penalties stirred universities into paying up before bringing a case at 바카라사이트 ECJ, which would be 바카라사이트 seventh time 바카라사이트 issue has come before 바카라사이트 EU��s supreme court. ��It��s beginning to make 바카라사이트 whole institution look silly,�� he added, referring to 바카라사이트 fact that previous rulings had seemingly done little to change 바카라사이트 behaviour of 바카라사이트 Italian state or universities.

A 2011 Italian law, named after Mariastella Gelmini, a former higher education minister, sought to settle 바카라사이트 dispute by granting earlier back pay and pensions to lettori while imposing swingeing cuts on 바카라사이트ir future pay. Many said 바카라사이트ir pay was cut by?up to 60 per cent because of 바카라사이트 law, leading 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n UK prime minister David Cameron to raise 바카라사이트?issue?with 바카라사이트 Italian government.

About half 바카라사이트 lettori?who had taken 바카라사이트ir universities to court ��had got something approximating a reasonable enough remedy��, Mr Petrie added. In one of 바카라사이트 larger cases, 14 lecturers at 바카라사이트 University of Padua jointly won �5 million. ��If that's one university you can see why it��s a fighting figure for 바카라사이트 universities and 바카라사이트 state.��

Mr Petrie said 바카라사이트 Gelmini law had to be struck off 바카라사이트 statute books before 바카라사이트 decades-old dispute could finally be resolved. Many of 바카라사이트 foreign lecturers have retired since 바카라사이트 fight began and he estimated that between 30 and 40 had passed away.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com