The first call for trade unions by Prime Minister Meloni

is scheduled for next Wednesday 9

, who at the table in Palazzo Chigi with the leaders of Cgil, Cisl and Uil will try to open a first channel of dialogue with the social forces to take stock of the major emergencies in the field, energy, inflation and low wages.

"We will concentrate the resources

available to help Italians cope with the increase in the cost of energy,

without wasting resources in unnecessary bonuses",

said Prime Minister Meloni on social media, underlining the "two important objectives" already achieved: beyond 30 billion to secure the expensive bills and the "first step" for energy security.

Support for the incomes of employees and retirees, greater flexibility towards retirement, fight against precariousness, reduction of the tax wedge to the benefit of workers but also an industrial policy that does not limit itself to addressing the emergency: these will be the main issues that general secretaries of the CGIL, CISL and UIL, Maurizio Landini, Luigi Sbarra and Pierpaolo Bombardieri will bring to the attention of the Prime Minister at the meeting scheduled at Palazzo Chigi.

For trade unions, the priority is to recover the purchasing power of wages and pensions

The meeting will probably limit itself to listening to the union representatives in view of the finalization of the budget maneuver and the interventions announced both on the high bills front and on the changes in citizenship income.

The priority for the unions is the purchasing power of wages and pensions cut down by inflation that reached double digits in October but

also

the introduction of corrections to the Fornero law

on social security that they avoid in 2023, Quota 102 expired. '' access to the pension only with 67 years of age or with 42 years and 10 months of contributions (41 and 10 months for women). 

Times are tight, the budget law is looming and the room for maneuver is tight.

But beyond the contingencies

, the game between the government and the unions appears to be long-term and will be played on the possibility of the parties to establish a stable

, lasting and transparent confrontation with which to bring work and workers back to the center of the political agenda.

The room for maneuver will be very narrow

even in the face of the ample resources that will be drained by the equalization of pensions with respect to inflation.

In fact, it is about 23 billion taking into account the current equalization (100% of inflation up to four times the minimum, 90% between 4 and 5 times, 75% over 5 times) unless the Government still intends to put a hand to that of the highest checks.

Discussion is also expected on the cut of the tax wedge

The request for discussion of a new cut in the tax wedge to be dedicated entirely to workers for CGIL CISL and UIL will also pass from the discussion table, for the moment set aside by the Nadef which saw the light yesterday but that the Minister of Labor, Calderone, has insured in a short time.

'' A profound reflection must be made on the increase in the purchasing power of wages and the reduction of the tax wedge.

You have to look at the accounts with healthy realism but the purchasing power and the cutting of the wedge must be objectives that can be reached in a short time '', he explained.  

Landini argues that to free up resources it is necessary to intervene on extra

-profits by redistributing them in full.

"We are talking - he said he - of tens of billions. They are there, they go to fetch and redistribute themselves, yes or no? The rest is chatter".

And he reiterated that the tax wedge must be cut to the advantage of workers and not companies by increasing the net payroll.   

"I hope - said the

CISL leader, Sbarra

- that this will be the beginning of a structured, permanent process of confrontation and social dialogue to address economic, productive and employment emergencies with the Government with urgent interventions and measures. stability it is necessary

to free up resources to counter the high bills and to support the incomes of employees and retirees ". 

At the center of the discussion there will be

the confirmation of the measures for the Woman Option and Social Ape for the social security system,

but also an intervention - said Minister Calderone - "to

avoid" that, once Quota 102 is exhausted, the exit is only 67 years old.

The League pushes for the exit with 41 years of contributions also by setting a minimum age threshold but the CISL says it is opposed to new quotas and reiterates the request of the unions for a flexible exit from the age of 62. 

"For Uil

- said the number one of the union,

Bombardieri, the priorities are the recovery of the purchasing power

of workers and retirees, greater

flexibility on pensions, the fight against precariousness and safety at work"

.

"It is necessary not only to intervene on the tax wedge, but also to de-tax the contractual increases and the thirteenth".