評論
打印
Italy's labour market
意大利的勞動市場
Marching to a different tune
變奏進(jìn)行中
A bold move to free up employment
開放就業(yè)市場的大膽舉措
WHILE many people's eyes were on Greece, another southern European country was taking a very different approach to easing its economic plight. On February 20th Italy's left-right coalition headed by Matteo Renzi approved two decrees enacting the core of an employment reform that parliament had broadly endorsed last year.
當(dāng)很多人關(guān)注希臘時，歐洲南部的另一個國家為了緩解經(jīng)濟困境正在實行一項大不相同的戰(zhàn)略。2月20日，以馬泰奧·倫齊為首的意大利左右翼政黨聯(lián)合政府通過兩項法令，頒布就業(yè)改革的核心措施，此項改革去年得到議會的廣泛支持。
The measures aim to close a yawning gap between Italy's labour-market “outsiders”, who are mostly younger workers on short-term contracts with scant entitlement to welfare benefits, and the protected “insiders”, typically older workers, who enjoy both job security and the certainty of an adequate pension.
這些措施旨在縮小意大利勞動市場的“局外人”與受保護(hù)的“局內(nèi)人”之間的巨大差距?！熬滞馊恕倍酁槟贻p工作者，他們的工作屬于短期，且缺少生活福利；“局內(nèi)人”通常是年老工作者，他們享受就業(yè)保障的同時，還可以享受充足穩(wěn)定的養(yǎng)老金。
The reform sweeps away a skein of temporary contracts, replacing them with one that affords new employees progressively greater safeguards until, after three years, they become entitled to a permanent job. On the other hand, the reform ends the right to reinstatement of workers judged to have been unfairly fired. (That entitlement will now be reserved mainly for victims of discrimination.) Compensation will be given instead.
這次改革取消了一批臨時合同，取而代之的是這樣的合同：新員工可獲得日益增多的強大保障，三年后成為正式職員方可終止。另一方面，此項改革取消了被無理解雇人員復(fù)職的權(quán)利。（該權(quán)利現(xiàn)在主要保留在種族歧視受害者身上。）改為給予補償。
That nullifies a clause inItaly's 1970 Workers' Charter that the left holds sacred. Mr Renzi's determination to meddle with it has poisoned relations between the prime minister and a big minority within his centre-left Democratic party. But his reform also creates a new benefit for the involuntarily unemployed: a monthly payment of up to 1,300 that can last for two years, but which starts to taper after four months. At the end of two years, a jobless worker becomes entitled to lesser benefits.
至此廢除了意大利1970年制定、左翼政黨信守的《工人憲章》中的一項條款。倫齊總理決意改革憲章，嚴(yán)重影響了其與中左翼民主黨內(nèi)大批少數(shù)黨派人士的關(guān)系。但他的改革也為非自愿失業(yè)者帶來新福利：兩年內(nèi)每月有多達(dá)1300歐元（合1480美元）的工資，但四個月后逐漸減少。兩年期限結(jié)束時，失業(yè)人員能夠享受較少福利。
The reform has limitations. It does not affect public-sector workers, who are almost impossible to get rid of. It only applies to new hirings (though, since so many ofItaly's workers are now on short-term contracts, its effects will soon be felt). The unions hate it, but employers, who will get generous incentives to use the new contract, welcomed it. Mr Renzi said it meant that “rights enter the vocabulary of a generation that hitherto has been excluded.” It will help create jobs and prosperity, added his finance minister, Pier Carlo Padoan.
此次改革亦有弊端。公共部門人員失業(yè)可能性很小，因此不會受到改革的影響。它僅適用于新職員工（然而，很多意大利工人目前的工作屬于短期，改革的影響不久就會見效）。工會對此嗤之以鼻，而雇傭方則欣然接受，他們通過使用新型合同獲取大手筆獎勵。倫齊表示此舉意味著“至今還未享有權(quán)利的一代人從此有了權(quán)利?！逼湄攧?wù)大臣Pier Carlo Padoan另外表示，這將有助于增加就業(yè)機會，創(chuàng)造繁榮景象。
Both are sorely needed.Italy's unemployment rate is 12.9%, but among those aged between 15 and 29 it is 42%. The economy remains obstinately static, though most forecasters predict growth of around 0.6% this year. The hope is that the reform will raise productivity, cut unemployment and encourage investment, particularly from abroad.
這兩方面亟待解決。意大利的失業(yè)率為12.9%，但15至29歲這一人群的失業(yè)率為42%。多數(shù)預(yù)報認(rèn)為今年的經(jīng)濟增速約為0.6%，但經(jīng)濟仍然停滯不前。人們希望此次改革能夠提高生產(chǎn)力，減少失業(yè)率，并且鼓勵投資，尤其是外來投資。
But there are also some doubts. One is whether bosses will in fact start to hire more freely. And since those already in permanent work will be put on the new (and, for them, less advantageous) contract if they change jobs, there is a chance the reform could discourage labour mobility.
但同時存在一些疑慮。其中之一就是：老板們在實際雇傭工人時能否更加自由開放。長期工換工作的話，將按照新型（對他們來說，弊大于利的）合同工作，那么改革可能會阻礙勞動力的流動性。
The bigger question is what comes next. Labour-market measures were rushed onto the government's agenda last autumn only when it became clear the economy was not recovering. Mr Renzi's priority remains political and constitutional reform, which he views as essential for decisive government, and for enabling further economic measures that Italy needs. Privatisations and some limited liberalisation are planned. But if the economy does revive, such reforms might once again go on the back burner.
更大的問題在于結(jié)果如何。去年秋天，政府清楚地發(fā)現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟沒有恢復(fù)的跡象，于是才將勞動力市場措施提上日程。倫齊仍優(yōu)先進(jìn)行政治與憲法改革，他認(rèn)為這是政府決斷性的根本體現(xiàn)，同時對經(jīng)濟措施的進(jìn)一步實施也極其重要。計劃實現(xiàn)私有化和一定程度上的有限自由化。但如果經(jīng)濟得到恢復(fù)，這些改革措施可能會重新暫緩實行。翻譯：石海霞 校對：陳思思
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