THE ITALIAN Government has agreed to end discrimination against foreign university lecturers who have received lower pay and enjoyed less job security than their Italian counterparts.
The decision, announced last week, will benefit some 1,500 lecturers - 40 of whom are Irish - working in 27 Italian universities. It follows a 15 year campaign by lecturers to achieve the same conditions and pay rates as their Italian counterparts, in accordance with EU principles on freedom of movement for workers within the EU.
Foreign lecturers have usually worked longer hours and done more teaching than their Italian colleagues, for less pay. In addition, while Italian lecturers had open ended employment contracts, foreigners were employed on fixed term contracts and automatically lost their jobs after six years.
After the European Court of Justice ruled in 1989 and 1993 that this discrimination was illegal, the Italian government introduced legislation ending discrimination against foreign lecturers on conditions and pay. The authorities then downgraded foreign lecturers to the status, of "technicians" thus perpetuating the discrimination in another way.
In the face of increasing EU pressure, the Italian Ministry of Employment announced it would meet the chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Foreign Lecturers in Italy next month to discuss the details of a resolution. The Ministry said it had a "deep commitment to achieving a swift and equitable solution to this protracted and embarrassing problem, which has been tarnishing the image of Italian universities throughout Europe".
The Ministry added it would work on the issue throughout August - a month when much Italian public life comes to a standstill - as proof of its comment to seek a resolution. The chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Foreign Lecturers, Mr David Petrie, said he felt confident that an equitable solution will be forthcoming".
In their lengthy legal battle, the lecturers won two European Court of Justice decisions against the Italian state for discrimination on the basis of nationality. A third case is pending. In addition the European Commission said it would take proceedings against Italy for not complying with the Court's decisions.
A spokesman for the Irish lecturers involved, Mr Henry Rodgers, said Irish politicians played a significant role in the campaign.