The Resurgence of the Italian Confederal Unions: Will it Last?

Abstract

This article argues that the Italian confederal unions' decision to engage in national policy-making paid off, even though it implied becoming co-responsible for tough choices, such as wage restraint and pension reform. This engagement was linked to a combination of three factors: the opening up of new opportunities in the political sphere, unity of action among the three major confederations, and a series of organizational reforms that strengthened internal democracy and in the process, also increased the unions' capacity for encompassing representation. Future challenges are likely to come, as in the past, from the political sphere. In particular, the resurfacing of competition among the three major confederations makes it increasingly difficult for them to speak with a single voice, not just in the political, but also in the economic arena.