Eight years wait over for Italian health workers? 


Around 550,000 workers in the health sector in Italy are finally getting close to a pay increase after more than eight years of waiting. 


Formal discussions on a pay increase opened on 12 September between the public sector sections of the three main union confederations, FP CGIL, CISL FP and UIL FPL, and ARAN, the government agency responsible for public sector pay negotiations. 


The framework for the deal was set out in November last year, when the government agreed to an increase of €85 a month over three years, as well as a guarantee that a tax cut worth €80 would not be affected.


Technical discussions to implement the increase are now under way.


€1 = 88p on 18 September