Lecturers in pay fight demand sanctions on Italy

Date: 13/12/01

By Martin Banks

THE European Commission is being asked to impose sanctions on Italy for allegedly breaking the Union's non-discrimination rules. The demand is the latest twist in a saga involving 1,500 foreign language lecturers who have fought for 15 years to have their EU rights recognised in Italy.

As far back as 1983, the European Court of Justice ruled that the teachers should have the same open-ended contracts as their Italian counterparts.

But despite three subsequent ECJ rulings and criticism from MEPs and the European Commission, Rome has refused to offer foreign language lecturers the same employment conditions as their peers. One of the lecturers, David Petrie, has now asked the Commission to impose sanctions against Italy until it falls into line with the rest of the EU.

Scotsman Petrie has taught English at the University of Verona since 1984 but says the "unequal" treatment he receives means he has not had a pay rise for the past 14 years. Petrie, 50, chairman of the Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy, said: "We do the same job as our Italian counterparts but, despite four separate ECJ rulings, we still do not have parity of pay or the same pension rights as our colleagues. This is a flagrant breach of EU law. We are now asking for a series of fines to be imposed on Italy until it upholds the decision of the ECJ."

Meanwhile, the European Court of Justice on Tuesday ruled that Petrie and a colleague, Dr Victoria Primhak, who teaches at the Oriental University of Naples, were not entitled to view documents, held by the European Commission, in connection with the case.

After the verdict, the pair said they were disappointed but may appeal.

The European Commission is being asked to impose sanctions on Italy for allegedly breaking the Union's non-discrimination rules.