Decree abolishing vouchers (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, March 17 - 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".