Co-founder Yanis Varoufakis was present in support of the new initiative which seeks to assist in reclaiming labour rights in Italy

DiEM25 was in Milan on Tuesday for the launch of our ‘Lavoro se‘ campaign, a radical new initiative to reclaim labour rights in Italy, which saw the participation of Yanis Varoufakis, Daniela Padovan, Martina Comparelli and Federico Dolce.

As the only European country where the average wage has decreased over the last 30 years, Italy needs to see drastic change in the labour market, and ‘Lavoro se’ looks to put that right with a set of radical proposals.

Thirty years of neoliberal policies have resulted in more than four million people living below the poverty line and the country continues to experience skyrocketing youth unemployment, widespread undeclared work and an asphyxiated labour market.

“To be able to defend our rights, we need to be able to attack. We need to unite movements, around a common programme, and together bring the fight to capital,” Yanis Varoufakis said.

“This campaign sounds provocative, with provocative proposals, but it only does because we live in an Orwellian world,” DiEM25 in Italy spokesperson Federico Dolce added.

“Talking about labour rights and jobs is fundamental in the fight against poverty, but it is also more than that,” DiEM25 political director Erik Edman stated.

“It is the perfect tool to address the other huge issues of our time, like the environmental transition, gender equality, migration, education, patriarchy and in essence, capitalism itself.”

The Lavoro Se campaign’s four policy proposals to end labour exploitation in Italy

1. Right to disconnect and reduce working time: We work too long and we are always reachable, reduction of working time to 36 hours and right to disconnection to have more free time and more attention to the needs of the individual
2. Wage increases: Wages must rise again, wage increases decided at contract renewals must be tax-free
3. Universal Basic Income: A basic income that allows the freedom to choose one’s work, no longer forced to accept any job under any conditions
4. Citizenship work: Everyone has the right to have a job where they live so there is a need for a comprehensive public plan linked to the needs of the community

If you live in Italy, support Lavoro se by going to the campaign website and taking five simple online actions now, and join DiEM25 to help us build a movement that will reshape Italian politics.

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