Wages in Italy are declining instead of increasing. The average salary for an Italian today is 2.90 percent lower than in 1990. This is not the case in any other European country. For a Swede, the average salary is 63 percent higher according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE.
– I earned more when I started working just over thirty years ago. If the rulers continue to give us such low wages and precarious working conditions, I do not know where it will end, says Irene Wittum.
Concerns about whether the salary is enough
Irene is a mother of two and married to Filippo Giannangeli. The couple lives in an apartment in Florence and Filippo resigned from his previous job a lot due to the low salary.
– Now I run a small wine bar, says Filippo.
In May, his wife Irene lost her job and is now unemployed.
– It was our only fixed income. I am worried and upset that it is no longer possible to live properly at work, says Irene.
Italian media have recently been paying more and more attention to the low wages and the negative wage development in the country and report under headlines such as “Historically low wages”.
– We are aware of the problem, says Prime Minister Mario Draghi to Italian media.
Risk of higher inflation
In a few weeks, he will meet with several of the social partners, and in the meantime, the debate in Parliament will continue on what measures are the right ones to raise wages and purchasing power without risking even higher inflation.
For families like Filippo and Irenes, it is difficult to afford clothes and textbooks for the children Neri and Giuditta.
– We would not survive if we did not have our parents. They help us by buying food for us sometimes. Or they buy shoes and other things for the children, says Irene.
Her husband Filippo says that they think about not wasting electricity and water and that he wants to be strong for the sake of the family.
– I’m worried, but I smile and want to be the one my wife can cry with right now. We hope that our politicians act quickly, wages must rise, it is too expensive to live now.