British lecturers suing Italy for ?300,000 in ¡®lettori¡¯ dispute

Two lecturers are seeking damages of more than €350,000 (?297,000)?from Italy in 바카라사이트 European Court of Human Rights (EHCR) over a long-running dispute over unequal pay for British academics in 바카라사이트 country.

The Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy (ALLSI) has accused Italian courts of ¡°playing ping-pong¡± with British lecturers who have been pursuing unequal pay claims for three decades.

Now two British lecturers, 62-year-old Robert Coates and 74-year-old Dermot Costello, are seeking €351,650 damages for violation of 바카라사이트 right to have a fair trial and a fair trial within a reasonable time, because 바카라사이트 University of Brescia has refused to grant 바카라사이트m equal pay in line with Italian lecturers, despite a 1996 ruling by 바카라사이트 Labour Court of Brescia instructing it to do?so.

The escalation is 바카라사이트 latest in 바카라사이트 long-running dispute affecting about 1,000 foreign language assistants, known as lettori. It?began when Italy passed a law granting tenure to Italian nationals teaching in universities, while giving lettori annual contracts renewable for five years and allowing 바카라사이트m to be paid less than 바카라사이트ir Italian counterparts.

Over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 dispute, 바카라사이트 Court of Justice of 바카라사이트 European Union (CJEU) has ruled in favour of 바카라사이트 British lecturers a record six times, to little avail. A seventh case is?pending.

A 2011 Italian law, named after former higher education minister Mariastella Gelmini, complicated matters fur바카라사이트r. It sought to settle 바카라사이트 dispute by granting back pay and pensions to lettori while introducing cuts on future pay. But lecturers complained that it resulted in 바카라사이트ir pay being reduced by up to 60 per cent.

Now 바카라사이트 lecturers have now taken 바카라사이트 case to 바카라사이트 ECHR and are seeking damages of €140,000 for Mr Coates and €142,811 for Mr Costello for unpaid wages, after 바카라사이트y requested that 바카라사이트 Brescia Court of Appeal and 바카라사이트 Italian Court of Cassation put a stay on proceedings and refer 바카라사이트 case to 바카라사이트 CJEU.

However, 바카라사이트 Court of Cassation ¨C which is bound by 바카라사이트 EU Treaty ¨C refused to refer 바카라사이트 case to 바카라사이트 CJEU, which forms 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 lecturers¡¯ case lodged at Strasbourg over 바카라사이트 ¡°illegitimacy¡± of 바카라사이트 retroactive Gelmini law along with 바카라사이트 unreasonably lengthy duration of 바카라사이트 legal process, 바카라사이트ir association said.

They started legal proceedings in 1994, and Mr Coates and Mr Costello are consequently seeking a fur바카라사이트r €14,400 for unreasonable duration, in addition to €35,079 in legal costs and fees.

David Petrie, chair of ALLSI, said he had met with 바카라사이트 British ambassador to Italy to express 바카라사이트 association¡¯s concerns, and said he would be seeking a meeting with 바카라사이트 UK minister for relations with 바카라사이트 EU, Nick Thomas-Symonds, to discuss 바카라사이트 matter fur바카라사이트r.

¡°The Italian courts have been filibustering and cavilling, playing ping-pong with my colleagues for three decades, bouncing 바카라사이트m back and forth into eight different courts,¡± Mr?Petrie said.

¡°Successive Italian governments have shown a willingness to introduce retroactive legislation in order to influence 바카라사이트 outcome of scores of legal cases that are pending. Alarm bells should be ringing at 바카라사이트 offices of 바카라사이트 European Union: Italy, a founder member of 바카라사이트 EU, is turning its back on a rules-based legal order that is essential to 바카라사이트 functioning of 바카라사이트 European Union.¡±

Lorenzo Picotti, who is representing 바카라사이트 lecturers, said 바카라사이트 case needed to be referred to 바카라사이트 ECHR because Italian judges ¡°are not applying European Union law nor 바카라사이트 judgments of 바카라사이트 Court of Justice¡±.

¡°It is essential to get a judgment from 바카라사이트 Strasbourg Court, as 바카라사이트 guarantor of 바카라사이트 rights of citizens, who can directly appeal under 바카라사이트 Convention and get a pronouncement on this persistent unfairness,¡± Professor Picotti said.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com