Italian CGIL launches nationwide signature drive for health and procurement reforms

The CGIL trade union federation has begun a national campaign to collect signatures for two popular‑initiative bills aimed at strengthening the public health service and reforming public procurement. In Catanzaro, union representatives set up a booth at the Pugliese‑Ciaccio hospital, urging citizens to sign the petition that seeks to raise health spending to 7.5% of GDP by 2030, increase public‑sector hiring and end sub‑contracting practices in procurement. A parallel series of signature‑collection events is scheduled across the province of L’Aquila, with booths at hospitals, town squares and markets between July 11 and July 19, targeting the 50,000 signatures required for each proposal before the September 2026 deadline.

The health proposal calls for a universal, free NHS and greater investment, while the procurement proposal demands equal pay, job security and safety standards for workers employed by contractors. The CGIL stresses that the initiatives aim to protect constitutional rights to health and fair labour conditions and will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for parliamentary consideration.