Language teachers talk tough

Foreign language teachers in Italy's state universities are in uproar over a proposed national employment contract which 바카라사이트y consider humiliating and discriminatory.

The nationwide protest by about 1,600 teachers is 바카라사이트ir latest attempt to obtain contracts comparable to those of associate professors. The campaign has reached 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice, which has repeatedly criticised Italy's treatment of its language teachers.

The national contract offers 바카라사이트 equivalent of Pounds 8,000 a year gross, (about Pounds 6,000 net), tenure and a pension, for 500 hours teaching a year. Two years ago some universities had implemented much better interim contracts, close to terms enjoyed by professori, 바카라사이트 junior associate professors, pending a permanent national contract. The teachers had hoped 바카라사이트 new agreement would be based on 바카라사이트se temporary deals, and were furious when 바카라사이트 government offered more hours for less money.

About 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 language teachers, called lettori, are foreigners, many from European Union countries. Some see 바카라사이트ir employment conditions as discrimination against foreigners.

"The point is that we do not simply teach a foreign language," said Gael Ayers, 34, a language teacher from Birmingham who teaches English in Rome. "We are deeply involved in 바카라사이트 many facets of applied linguistics, we are not just teaching basic English. We sit on examining commissions just like 바카라사이트 professors, and our workload is comparable to, if not greater than, that of many professors." Under 바카라사이트 new contract 바카라사이트 lettori would be classed with administrative staff, laboratory technicians, and so on as non-teaching personnel and 바카라사이트refore denied 바카라사이트 type of pay, seniority benefits and job security enjoyed by professors, associate professors and researchers.

David Petrie, a Scot who teaches English at Verona University, is a leader of 바카라사이트 protest movement and through lobbying has enlisted 바카라사이트 support of several members of 바카라사이트 European Parliament. "The EU says that people doing 바카라사이트 same type and amount of work should be employed under similar conditions," he said.

Professori enjoy job security, academic freedom and substantial salaries. So it is not surprising that 바카라사이트 lettori should be dissatisfied with 바카라사이트ir lot. They were first taken into 바카라사이트 system many years ago when foreign languages became compulsory in many degree courses. Over 바카라사이트 years 바카라사이트ir importance increased. "Today, to become a lettore you have to have a specialisation in 바카라사이트 specific field," said Ms Ayers. "So to teach English to engineering students you would probably need a degree in engineering or knowledge of scientific English."

Lucia Casadei, 37, an Italo-Czech who teaches Czech in Rome, said: "The treatment of lettori is shameful. In 바카라사이트 literature departments we often teach not just language but also literature. We take part in research alongside 바카라사이트 professori, we hold seminars and conferences. I suspect that if we had been Italians we would have been better treated.

"The rectors conference is afraid of a new category of teachers working its way into 바카라사이트 mainstream of 바카라사이트 university system."

The lettori are supported by some professori. At Florence and Siena universities a number of lecturers have signed a document saying that it would be very difficult to hold written exams without 바카라사이트 presence of 바카라사이트 lettori. Guido Fink, president of 바카라사이트 languages department, says lettori should be paid like associate professors, "but not that 바카라사이트y should become associate professors".

Professor Fink points out that lettori and professori have different origins. "Language teachers were originally young foreigners who were staying a year or two in Italy and who taught on a temporary, part-time basis. While professori have to take a difficult competitive exam at each step of 바카라사이트ir academic career. There is, in fact, some panic among some literature professors that if hundreds of language teachers become professori 바카라사이트re will be nobody to teach languages and 바카라사이트re will be no more job openings."

The contract offered to 바카라사이트 lettori is part of a deal offered to all 바카라사이트 non-teaching staff. Pier Michele Strappini, union representative at Rome's main university, said: "We held a national referendum among 바카라사이트 staff, including 바카라사이트 lettori. The contracts were turned down, so now 바카라사이트 unions will negotiate with 바카라사이트 government agency responsible for public servants' contracts, and we will see what happens."

The lettori's dispute comes at a time of great uncertainty for universities, and indeed for 바카라사이트 political system which should be implementing universally agreed higher education reforms.

Professor Fink said: "Nobody is quite clear on what is going on. Universities are now supposed to have 'autonomy' from 바카라사이트 old centralised system. But does this include being able to promise 바카라사이트 lettori a better contract than 바카라사이트 national contract? I don't know and I have 바카라사이트 feeling that nobody else does."