Italian school unions warn of structural precariousness

Labor unions in Italy are warning that precarious employment has become a structural feature of the school system rather than a temporary emergency.

In Palermo, Flc Cgil reports nearly 6,000 temporary assignments for teachers and ATA staff (administrative, technical, and auxiliary personnel) compared to only 521 permanent hires. A significant portion of these assignments—over 84 percent—relates to support roles. For school collaborators specifically, there are 734 temporary contracts against only 42 permanent positions.

Similarly, in Calabria, Uil Scuola Calabria highlights a significant gap in staffing. While there are over 30,000 teaching positions in the region, union leaders note that many vacancies remain unfilled by permanent staff. For ATA personnel, only about 34 percent of available positions are being stabilized through permanent hiring, leaving nearly two-thirds of available roles to be filled by temporary workers due to regulatory constraints and staffing limits.