Cut max number of temp contract renewals (4)

(ANSA) - Rome, December 11 - The government should cut the maximum number of times temporary contracts can be renewed, INPS pensions and social security agency chief Tito Boeri said Monday. "We must weigh revising the norm that allows up to five renewals," he said. "It is worrying that the growth of temp contracts is linked to very short ones, under three months," Boeri said.
    He said the government should consider "whether to make the renewal of temporary contracts harder".
    In Boeri's view, "there is a risk that it becomes a prolonged probation period".
    Boeri was speaking while presenting INPS's annual report on jobs and the labour market.
    National statistics agency ISTAT said last week that 2.784 million people were employed on temporary labour contracts in Italy in the third quarter of 2017.
    This was the highest level since the start of the statistical series in the fourth quarter of 1992.
    The statistics agency said the number of people on temporary contracts was up 3.9% compared to the previous quarter and 13.4% with respect to the same period in 2016.