In a recent installation on the theme of work, I arranged the hypothetical date of my being fired due to my activity with the trade union, which unfortunately happened. Now I am living in precarious conditions and the same situation has been happening here for years due to flexibility in the work place and more and more workers are experiencing the same thing. The situation of the permanent employment has definitely changed worldwide and it is a fact that there is no guarantee of democracy in the work place. Salaries are at their lowest and the economic uncertainty of employees on short-term contracts negatively affects choices that normally one would make to improve one’s quality of life.
This year Law 30 has been in force, which has added damage caused by the packet Treu, transforming all jobs into short-term contracts. An example of this change is the employment office that has become a type of temp-work agency. The industries have put an end to the orchestration of the nineties and vindicate the right to sign agreements with “those who accept these conditions”. The trade unions that are participating in the management of these short-term contracts are also organizing training courses and so on.
In order to stop these governmental and business owner attacks, it would be necessary to question Law 30 and the agreement in Italy. The creation of alternative proposals to the liberal choices of the government with the real participation of the workers is necessary. Today this does not exist and moreover, the almost complete inability of the trade union to provide an answer to the needs of short-term contracts is evident.
This installation is meant to be humorous regarding the situation with which I have to measure my skills against and it is tied to my last working experience. I was fired without due notice only because I had participated in a meeting organised by my ex-colleagues who wanted to try and claim a skill’s upgrade.
These anthropomorphous coat-hangers found in an abandoned factory symbolize individuals of the past who had a concept of work tied to the right to strike for their right to claims and guarantees of the Workers’ Statute. Their working file-cards represent the geography of the short-term contract workers’ pilgrimage. The so-called “human resource” is forced to move from one company to another due to the flexibility of the job market.

Taiguara Alves Giannotti

Special thanks to: V.Martini M.Vigiglio, A.Taffi.