Jobs Act changes to reinstate workers wrongly fired -update2

(ANSA) - Rome, November 18 - Workers who are wrongly dismissed on the basis of groundless disciplinary complaints will be able to get their posts back in specific circumstances under amendments to the Jobs Act presented Tuesday by Premier Matteo Renzi's government to the Lower House labour committee.
    But workers laid off for economic reasons will only get compensation under the controversial legislation that has triggered labour protests.
    Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said that his New Centre Right (NCD) party was close to reaching a deal with Renzi's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) over changes to the labour reform bill.
    The NCD, a junior partner in Renzi's executive, has been threatening to rebel after the government said last week it had reached a deal with dissidents within PD about elements of the controversial labour reform. "We are very, very close to a deal with the PD over labour," Alfano said.
    "I spoke to (NCD Senate whip) Maurizio Sacconi last night and I think we're there". Last week, the government struck a deal with the PD rebels to amend the Jobs Act and soften down changes to Article 18 of the 1970 Workers Statute, which protects workers from unfair dismissal.
    Originally the Jobs Act stipulated that people hired from now on who are unfairly dismissed would only have the right to their jobs back if they are victims of discrimination, while in other cases they would get compensation.
    But under the terms of the deal with the PD rebels, people who are sacked on the basis of a groundless disciplinary complaint would also be entitled to get rehired.
    The NCD complained that this distorted the original aim of giving firms more freedom to hire and fire, and thus encourage them to hire and help combat record unemployment levels.