Healthcare Workers in Calabria Protest Contract Stagnation
Healthcare workers in the Calabria region of Italy are preparing to demonstrate against the prolonged lack of renewal for their national collective labor agreement (Cncnl). The protest, organized by Fp Cgil, Cisl Fp and Uil Fpl, is scheduled to take place on March 25, 2026, at the Cittadella regionale in Catanzaro, beginning at 11:00 AM.
Contract Renewal Delays Impacting Workers
The unions highlight that the Cncnl has not been renewed for eight years for Aiop (Association of Private Healthcare Providers) and thirteen years for Aris (Association of Rehabilitation and Healthcare Companies). This lack of an updated agreement is resulting in inadequate wages, a decline in purchasing power, and an outdated regulatory framework, ultimately compromising the quality of care and the guarantee of Essential Levels of Assistance (LEA) nationwide.
Employer Associations Stall Negotiations
Aiop and Aris, responsible for the bargaining tables, are accused of delaying negotiations by demanding economic assurances from institutions.
Staffing Concerns and Service Disruption
The unions state that these disparities in treatment, where personnel perform tasks for the National Health Service without updated contracts, are leading to staff abandoning the sector. This is causing serious repercussions for the maintenance of services and the ability of accredited operators to meet regional staffing requirements.
National Strike Action Planned
This demonstration in Catanzaro is a precursor to a national strike planned for April 17th, as announced by the national secretaries of Fp Cgil, Cisl Fp, and Uil Fpl. The unions express concern over the lack of official response following a meeting on March 18th involving the Ministry of Health, the Conference of Regions, and employer associations regarding funding.