“"Conditional satisfaction": this was Arcigay's reaction to the news of the Italian government's approval of the draft implementing European Directive 2000/78 against discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation.
“"This is a commitment the Italian government had already made at the European level," commented National President Sergio Lo Giudice. "Now we wait to see how the decree will be implemented and how the social partners and associations will be involved. We will monitor the government and Parliament's next steps to ensure the directive's implementation does not represent a missed opportunity to seriously address the issue of workplace bullying against gays, lesbians, and transgender people.".
Background
The European directive, which should be implemented, combats discrimination, both direct and indirect, based on religion, personal beliefs, disability, age and sexual orientation (although, in the Italian translation, the expression "sexual orientation" is translated with the more generic "sexual tendencies" and not with the scientifically correct expression "sexual orientation").
The protection will cover access to employment, working conditions and career opportunities, professional training, and activities within workers' or employers' organizations. The protection provided for against racial discrimination by the Consolidated Law on Immigration is extended to all cases of discrimination covered by the EU Directive. The decree provides for agreements with the social partners to encourage, including in collective bargaining, the adoption of anti-discrimination rules and codes of conduct.