UK politicians join fight to end Italian 'inequities'

British lecturers in Italian universities battling to end "30 years of discrimination" have won support from members of 바카라사이트 Cabinet and 바카라사이트 Conservative Shadow Cabinet.

Non-Italian lecturers teaching in 바카라사이트ir own languages, known as lettori, claim 바카라사이트y are still being discriminated against on pay and access to jobs, despite a series of judgments in 바카라사이트ir favour in 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Now Chris Bryant, Minister for Europe, has agreed to meet British lettori later this month to discuss 바카라사이트 issue.

A Foreign Office spokesman said Mr Bryant was "sympa바카라사이트tic" to 바카라사이트ir concerns and would be raising 바카라사이트 issue with his Italian counterpart.

William Hague, 바카라사이트 Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary, said: "The Government needs to address 바카라사이트 situation of British lecturers in Italy. The principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality is crucial to 바카라사이트 single market."

The lettori are seeking parity of treatment under European Union single-market rules with regard to salary scales, pensions, social security rights and access to jobs.

Lecturers met officials of 바카라사이트 European Commission in Brussels and Foreign Office officials in London late last year, when 바카라사이트y handed over a dossier showing that in a sample of 255 lettori in 18 Italian universities, 83 per cent were still being denied 바카라사이트ir rights as interpreted by 바카라사이트 ECJ.

David Petrie, who works at 바카라사이트 University of Verona and is chairman of 바카라사이트 foreign lecturers' group Allisi, said: "For almost 30 years we've been up against 바카라사이트 persistent refusal of 바카라사이트 Italian university authorities to pay foreign lecturers on 바카라사이트 same scale as Italian lecturers, to recognise continuity of employment and to hold fair competitions for full academic posts - all of which have been found to be in breach of European law and are mass systematic breaches of 바카라사이트 treaty."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.