Italy's service sector sees nearly half of workers earning below the poverty line

A new report from Filcams Cgil shows that 47.5% of workers in Italy’s tertiary sector earn less than 60% of the national median wage in 2024, placing them below the statutory poverty threshold. The share rises to 52.9% among women and reaches over 60% in the southern regions and islands, with tourism employees most affected – 71.2% overall and 75.3% of women, climbing above 80% in the south.

Separate data on hiring in the Pisa area for June 2026 indicate that overall job vacancies are stabilising, with industry and agriculture posting modest gains while services and tourism continue to contract. About 3,750 new hires were recorded in Pisa, a 1% drop from the previous year, and the most demanded role remains restaurant staff. The mismatch between job offers and seekers fell to 44%, suggesting a slight easing of labour market pressure despite ongoing sectoral weaknesses.