Inter-Generational Bargaining in Italy

This paper focuses on the integration of policies and strategies for young and older workers, implemented through collective bargaining and social dialogue in Italy. After a brief overview of young and older workers’ employment conditions, section one presents “inter-generational solidarity” measures that simultaneously support youth employment and accompany older workers to flexible retirement. The section also mentions policies that address youth employment on one hand, and those for active ageing and early and/or flexible retirement on the other hand. Section two compares four case studies of inter-generational relay schemes in Italy: these are all promoted by public bodies but at different governance levels, i.e. national, regional and provincial, including one sector- and two company-level examples as well. The case studies cover both private and public sectors, and they show different degrees and ways of social partners’ involvement in inter-generational bargaining. The paper concludes that in Italy there is a developed institutional framework that could potentially support inter-generational solidarity policies, but practice is still limited. It finally suggests what factors may explain the scarce success of these measures in the country.