House committee OKs Jobs Act bill

(ANSA) - Rome, November 20 - The Lower House's labour committee on Thursday gave its final approval to an enabling bill linked to the government's Jobs Act. It will now be possible for the floor of the House to start examining the labour-market reform on Friday. Premier Matteo Renzi wants the reform to go into effect in the new year, saying it will encourage firms to take on staff and help combat record levels of unemployment. Renzi reached an agreement to amend the Jobs Act, softening changes to the laws on unfair dismissal, to win over opponents to the bill from within his own centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
    But two of Italy's big three trade union confederations, the CGIL and UIL, have called a general strike for December 12 to protest against the Jobs Act and the government's 2015 budget law.