With the pandemic, illegal hiring and illegal workers are on the rise, but the double work that escapes the tax authorities, INPS and produces unfair competition is negatively affecting the labor market. This was supported by the CGIA of Mestre. Always hand in hand, illegal hiring and illegal work, especially in the agricultural sector, have assumed worrying dimensions; according to some estimates, in fact, in Italy there are around 200,000 vulnerable people, or laborers forced to work in conditions of severe exploitation. Yet, reports the Artisans’ Studies Office, of the more than 3.2 million irregular workers in the country, those exploited by corporals or criminal organizations are a minority. Obviously, this should not lead to underestimate the seriousness of the phenomenon in which workers are subjected to degrading and inhuman conditions by pseudo-entrepreneurs who act in the fields and sometimes even on construction sites, in a criminal manner. Also because, although there is no data capable of proving it, following the pandemic crisis the situation has significantly worsened. Therefore, even the Istat estimate, which reports irregular workers in Italy at 3.2 million, is almost certainly underpowered.
However, for the CGIA, it should be emphasized that the majority of those who work illegally are made up, in particular, of very “enterprising” people, who every day go to the homes of Italians to do small repairs, maintenance (green, electrical, plumbing, factory, construction, etc.) or in providing personal services (drivers, caregivers, hairdressers, beauticians, masseurs, etc.). An army of “invisibles” who, obviously, are not “employed” by corporals or torturers but, fully equipped, move in a completely autonomous and independent manner, causing appalling economic damage. These undocumented workers are largely made up of retired, after-work, inactive, unemployed or CIG people who supplement their meager income with the proceeds recovered from these illegal activities. Thus it is evident – for the CGIA – that it is not only the treasury and INPS who lose out, but also the many productive activities and services, the craft and commercial enterprises regularly registered with the Chambers of Commerce which, often , suffer from unfair competition from these subjects. In fact, undeclared workers, not being subject to social security contributions, insurance and tax contributions allow the companies where they work – or themselves if they operate on the market as false self-employed workers – to benefit from a much lower labor cost and, consequently, to charge a very low final price of the product / service. Conditions, of course, that those who comply with the provisions of the law are unable to offer.