Rigged contracts, discriminated workers, and low wages: which sectors are most common in Milan?

Milan, July 10, 2025 – The difference It weighs up to four thousand euros a year, which makes a difference when the salary barely allows you to make it to the end of the month . The gap between the national collective labor agreements (CCNL) signed by the most representative unions and the so-called pirate contracts is not only salary-related, but also affects the sphere of protections and rights, from sickness to overtime.

According to the latest UIL Lombardia survey, considering only the private sector and not the public sector, 7.29% of workers in the metropolitan city (128,664 out of a total of 1,677,989) are employed under contracts not signed by CGIL, CISL, and UIL, or by the most representative trade associations . These percentages rise in the so-called "multi-sectoral" sector, in the services sector , where 35.5% of employees are employed under conditions that bypass agreements reached through collective bargaining, established by "non-confederal" national collective bargaining agreements signed by unions and business associations that lack real representation but dictate the rules for everyone, lowering labor costs.

Among the sectors Also hardest hit in Milan were mechanics (13.9%), printing and entertainment (10.14%) and service companies (8.55%), with a similar trend also looking at the regional territory.

In Lombardy , however, the use of pirate contracts appears less widespread than in Milan , with a share of 6.71%, translating into 224,120 workers out of 3,341,118, again considering only the private sector. Then there is the case of hiring with contracts that , although signed by representative unions, do not reflect the actual duties , leading to dumping, reduced salaries, and reduced protections. This is the case of workers at Milan's civic museums, who have fought against the use of the multi-service contract usually used for cleaning staff.

“In this "This is increasing the number of working poor ," explains Salvatore Monteduro, secretary of UIL Lombardia, "especially in a city like Milan, with the skyrocketing cost of living. While we wait for a national solution to pirate contracts," he continues, " intervention by local public bodies would be needed through specific clauses on contracts and working conditions in tenders for the provision of services. This is why we are appealing to the Region and the Municipalities."

Fipe-Confcommercio also raised the alarm in the restaurant industry, because the presence of over 40 pirate contracts registered with the CNEL (National Council for Employment and Labour) in the sector is creating difficulties for those who respect the rules.

A court victory has been achieved on this front, in the appeal filed by Filcams-CGIL against the classification of employees of Natuna Srl, a company offering private security services, under the national collective bargaining agreement signed by UGL and the AISS association. Making the variable EGR pay component dependent on actual hours worked is "discriminatory," according to the ruling by Milan's labor judge Camilla Stefanizzi. It creates an "illegitimate disparity" because " unfavorable wage treatment is created for all workers who , due to age, disability, gender, or a particularly disadvantaged situation, find themselves in need of sick leave or absence ." This is no small matter, as the EGR constitutes 8.88% of wages. Another article in the contract also contains "indirect discrimination against those, particularly female workers, who, for proven health reasons, are forced to take leave for a period exceeding that covered by the wage supplement." The company, which requested the appeal be rejected and will now be able to appeal, will therefore have to "adopt a plan to eliminate the effects of the discriminatory conduct found."