In Rome on February 7, workers in Italy have faced stagnant wages for around three decades, leading to minimal strikes over pay that seldom exceed a day. This trend has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the country's trade unions.
According to data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Italy stands out as the only advanced nation where inflation-adjusted wages decreased between 1990 and 2020. This decline has resulted in subdued consumer spending and lackluster economic growth.
Although there has been a recent uptick in pay, with a 9% increase from the third quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of the previous year, it still falls behind the 14% wage growth in Germany and 11% in France when adjusted for inflation, as per data from the German central bank.
Factors such as Italy's low employment rate of 67%, the lowest in the euro zone, also contribute to the weak bargaining power of workers. Additionally, many labor experts and workers criticize the unions for shifting focus away from advocating for salary increases to providing more bureaucratic services.
Despite occasional national strikes like the one on November 29, led by CGIL's Maurizio Landini, which disrupted public services, schools, and hospitals, Italian strikes typically have short durations and yield minimal outcomes.
Efforts by the CGIL to address poor wage growth include a proposed national referendum to repeal labor reforms that have negatively impacted job security and a push for legislation to prevent excessively low wage contracts. However, these initiatives face challenges due to limited political support.
Unlike Italy, countries like Germany, France, and the United States have witnessed more focused and impactful strikes despite having lower union memberships. In Italy, the prevalence of short-term strikes contrasts with the trend of longer strikes in countries like the United States.
Italian unions have struggled to mobilize sustained actions due to factors such as the financial constraints faced by workers during strikes, underscoring the financial vulnerability of many employees. Consequently, many perceive longer strikes as financially unfeasible, contributing to the prevalence of short-duration strikes in Italy over the past three decades.
Contrary to Italy, more organized and prolonged strike actions are the norm in Germany, where unions employ warning strikes to signal readiness for serious negotiations and indicate potential for extended strikes if demands are not met promptly.