The Supreme Court sets the minimum wage, while Parliament doesn’t even talk about it. All because of a Supreme Court decision that is generating discussion. Let’s go in order: 8 employees of a cooperative that deals with security and concierge consider the distance between collective bargaining in their sector and article 36 of the Constitution to be large and that’s why they turn to the magistrates. In the first instance, the judge sides with the workers and affirms the violation of our Charter and Article 36 which states: “The worker has the right to remuneration proportional to the quantity and quality of his work and in any case sufficient to ensure a salary for himself. and for his family a free and dignified existence”. However, the Court of Appeal annulled everything in the second instance.
In the end, the Court of Cassation took care of the matter, ruling once again in favor of the cooperative’s employees. So far nothing to complain about. However, in its decision the STF also says something else with employees who assume the role of parliamentarians: a judge can identify a “constitutional minimum wage”, bypassing the work of the Chamber and the Senate, and even imposing himself in the collective agreement.
This was enough for the opposition to rejoice and shout victory: Elly Schlein is the first to speak “an indication comes from the Supreme Court of Cassation, with a historic decision, which confirms the need and urgency of establishing a minimum wage in accordance with the principles established by the Constitution.” Giuseppe Conte and the 5 Star Movement are no exception: “this decision marks a decisive change of pace, because it clearly says that collective bargaining alone cannot be enough.” Even Action with Carlo Calenda says – she is enthusiastic: “with the decision that confirms the need for a legal minimum wage, the Supreme Court has arrived where until now the government was paralyzed”.
The government and the center-right majority take the opposite view, according to which the Supreme Court’s decision could instead prove to be a social boomerang. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has already clarified her position and that of the executive: on the minimum wage we must await the opinion requested from the CNEL – whose work according to Labor Minister Marina Calderone is “in a good stage” – and in These leaks from the magistrates There is a real risk that increased wages will be lower than reduced ones.
Source: IL Tempo

Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.