Abstract
This paper sets out to examine Law No. 92/2012 – the so-called Monti-Fornero Reform – and subsequent amendments, focusing on the impact that this comprehensive review will have on the Italian labour market. The starting point of the analysis is the investigation of the reasons for the reform, followed by an examination of the major points of the interventions and both the strengths and shortcomings of the reform implemented. Among others, attention is paid to the different employment relationships, new forms of joint ventures, the allocation of the unemployment benefits, and the system of safety-net measures. In conclusion, the author takes the view that the attempt to strike a balance between flexibility and security caused the Monti-Fornero reform to be incomplete, a half-way reform. This is because this is a provision imposed by the Government which reduces the role of the social partners and moves away from an autonomous system of industrial relations to regulate employment relationships at all levels.
