Cinzia Del Rio: “A migration policy is urgent in the European Union”

Cinzia Del Rio, Unione Italiana del Lavoro

ACTRAV INFO: After the Lampedusa tragedy last year, what is your view on the migration issue in Europe, particularly in your country?

If we consider that there is no European migration policy, we understand how serious the question is as migration is perceived as a problem to be solved by host countries and not as an opportunity for the EU to act. Migration is addressed and dealt with at EU level mainly from the security point of view – how to fight and stop illegal immigration – and not as a holistic concept dealing with labour migration and job opportunities. European policies are actually quite limited.

We should also consider the spread of anti-European movements using the serious social and employment consequences of the crisis to launch policies directed against migrant workers and third-countries’ citizens, with a new wave of racism and xenophobia striking many EU countries.

Italy is persistently failing to govern migration. On the one hand, the fact of having suspended the Decree on entry flows (in 2012 and 2013) has not solved the problem of illegal entry of migrants while, at the same time, it sends a negative signal blocking legal migration; on the other hand, the lack of active employment policies put regular immigrants at risk of losing their jobs and ending up in the informal sector.<

There is still a great deal of undeclared work characterized by severe exploitation and/or forced labour. In Italy, unlike other countries, the slow pace of the integration process (resident permits, citizenship) makes the migrant status a long-term condition. Arrivals are continuing on a massive scale, although they mostly regard asylum seekers. The authorities’ inability to get out of an emergency logic is ineffective and costly. Severe violations of human rights are recorded at the Identification Centres (CIE).

ACTRAV INFO: In Italy, what are the main challenges faced by unions in order to protect migrant workers?

First of all it is important to underline that legal migrant workers coming to Italy are protected by collective agreements and enjoy the same rights as Italian workers. They represent an increasing number of Italian trade union members, but still suffer from exploitation and abuse. Both, the regular and the irregular workers are assisted by the trade unions. At the national level, we have a number of priorities to address, in particular three major reforms.

First, the revision of migration legislation so as to make the regular entry of migrants and the matching between labour supply and demand more fluid and flexible, which means having reliable data and efficient employment agencies at the local level that can channel demand towards regular job opportunities. This would also help combat the entry of illegal migrants and informality.

Second, the reform of Law 91 of 1992 (citizenship): the "citizenship social contract” must be changed urgently because society has also changed. This should apply to both, children and adults. Today, children born in Italy must wait to be 18 before applying for citizenship; adults must be resident for 10 years in Italy and then wait another 5 to 7 years because of bureaucracy. Currently the backlog of applications pending at the Ministry for Internal Affairs is equal to 300,000.

Third, we need a consolidated law on asylum. In addition, a uniform EU migration policy is also urgently needed.

Both, Government and Parliament can take action on the reform front. Government and unions could make arrangements for implementing active policies designed to re-employ immigrants, especially refugees, who are currently left alone and do not benefit from integration policies. The blocking of the Decree on entry flows must be solved and a policy must be implemented to enhance diversity and promote the entry of skilled migrants. Urgent action has to be taken on indirect forms of discrimination (pertaining to the legal framework) and on direct forms of discrimination (racism) against migrants, but also on the sensitive issue of the Roma and Sinti. We must go well beyond the logic of the Identification Centres (CIE), which have turned into real detention centres for those who have not committed crimes.

ACTRAV INFO: In your view, how could the ILO work together with the unions to implement ILO instruments, particularly Conventions 97, 143 and Recommendations 86 and 151?

UIL supports the plan of action which was discussed in this ILO Governing Body (March 2014) and agreed at the Tripartite Technical Meeting on Labour Migration held last November. The ILO can help in assisting EU member states:

• to build a legal framework at the regional level on the basis of ILO Conventions 97 and 143 and their accompanying Recommendations in order to govern labour migration based on ILO standards;
• to use analyses and data concerning illegal migrant workers in the EU to create a system of shared information on work demand and supply;
• to assist countries with bilateral agreements as far as social protection rights are concerned – or have an ambitious objective to have a European agreement on the transferability of certain rights, social security and skills and assist in the creation of integration policies for migrants and their families.

These are only a few examples of areas for action where a tripartite approach would be welcomed. The ILO is ideally placed, if not the only organization to make proposals in this area. We are confident that the concrete action plan adopted will be an important tool to be used by governments and the social partners.