Premier Paolo Gentiloni's cabinet
on Friday approved a decree to abolish controversial vouchers
used to pay for occasional work.
The move means there will be no need for a May 28 referendum
on abolishing the vouchers promoted by Italy's largest
trade-union confederation, the CGIL, which said the system was
widely being abused.
Gentiloni said that his government will now set about
regulating occasional work.
"We will use the next few weeks to respond to a demand that
eliminating the vouchers does not resolve, (to work) for serious
regulation of occasional work" said Gentiloni.
"Italy certainly did not need an election campaign on issues
like this over the next few months".
Former foreign minister Gentiloni took over the helm of
government in December when his Democratic Party (PD) colleague
Matteo Renzi quit following the rejection of his flagship
Constitutional reform in a referendum after an acrimonious
campaign.
Labour Minister Giuliano Poletti said that it will be
possible to use work vouchers already bought until December 31.
He also stressed that the abolition of the system did not
amount to a U-turn in government policy.
"A change of pace in the government's labour policies in not
in the pipeline because the vouchers were not a subject
regulated by the Jobs Act (labour reform)," he said.
"We are addressing an issue that needed to be addressed".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
