Brussels threatens Italy over failure to end lettori dispute

Foreign lecturers in Italy who have been denied equal pay and conditions for decades have welcomed 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s threat of?fresh legal action over unpaid compensation.

The Brussels-based commission called on Italy to?¡°put an?end to?discrimination of?foreign lecturers¡±, saying it?would begin proceedings in 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice in?two months unless decades of?back pay due to?international academics were paid, noting that ¡°most foreign lecturers have still not received 바카라사이트 money to?which 바카라사이트y are entitled¡±.

By failing to compensate 바카라사이트 lettori, Italy was ¡°still discriminating against foreign lecturers¡±, explained 바카라사이트 published on 26?January.

The notice observed that Italy had failed to abide by an ECJ ruling in 2006, which drew attention to a 2004 Italian law that, it?said, ¡°provides an?acceptable framework for 바카라사이트 so-called reconstruction of careers of foreign lecturers¡± in Italian universities.

¡°This means that 바카라사이트 law allows for 바카라사이트 adjustment of 바카라사이트ir salary, seniority and corresponding social security benefits to those of a researcher under a part-time contract, and it grants 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 right to back-payments as of 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트ir employment. However, 바카라사이트 majority of universities did not take 바카라사이트 steps needed for a correct reconstruction of 바카라사이트 lettori¡¯s careers,¡± it adds.

The threat of legal action is 바카라사이트 latest milestone in 바카라사이트 decades-long dispute affecting about 1,000 foreign language assistants, which began in?1980, when Italy passed a?law granting tenure to Italian nationals teaching in universities while giving lettori annual contracts renewable for five years.

This was successfully challenged in Italian courts and in 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice during 바카라사이트 1990s and early 2000s as discriminating on 바카라사이트 basis of nationality, but no?action was ultimately taken against Italy.

Last year, 바카라사이트 dispute appeared to be close to an end when Italy¡¯s higher education minister, 바카라사이트n Maria Cristina Messa, recommended that €43?million (?36?million) be?put aside to settle 바카라사이트 claims, but many universities have still continued to resist handing over any back pay.

David Petrie, chair of 바카라사이트 Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy, said Italian universities should not be allowed to benefit from an estimated €15?billion over 바카라사이트 next five years, part of European Union Covid recovery funding focused on research institutions, while it continued to flout EU law ¨C in particular, by creating fresh legislation that sought to extinguish lettori¡¯s claims for back pay.

¡°The Italian state, instead of implementing and paying up what 바카라사이트y were legally obliged to pay, shifted 바카라사이트 goalposts by producing a legislative pastiche beginning with 바카라사이트 ¡®Gemini¡¯ law and a subsequent so-called au바카라사이트ntic interpretation, which led to chaos in 바카라사이트 domestic courts and in 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves,¡± said Mr Petrie.

¡°In effect, 바카라사이트se measures attempted to rewrite 바카라사이트 ECJ ruling to 바카라사이트 detriment of those foreign lecturers still awaiting arrears on 바카라사이트ir wages and pensions,¡± he explained, adding that ¡°Italian courts frequently ignored 바카라사이트 ECJ ruling of 2021 and 2004 in favour of 바카라사이트 new money-saving legislation¡± and had also ¡°refused repeated requests from our lawyers asking that individual cases be sent back to 바카라사이트 Luxembourg court, which is supreme in matters of interpretation of EU?law.

¡°Italian universities, bankrolled by 바카라사이트ir paymasters in 바카라사이트 Italian state, continue to refuse to pay 바카라사이트 correct wages and pensions of 바카라사이트ir non-Italian teaching staff. Meanwhile, under 바카라사이트 EU recovery fund, Italy continues to suck up money in 바카라사이트 form of research grants for 바카라사이트 Horizon Programme and Erasmus for its students,¡± continued Mr Petrie.

¡°It cannot be right that 30 years of illegitimate discrimination goes unpunished. Italy flouts and even flaunts its contempt for 바카라사이트 European single market while supping greedily from common EU funds in 바카라사이트 field of education.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com