ROME. At work with the Green Pass. Or better: you can’t work without the Green Pass. This is the prospect for millions of Italians in the coming weeks. Up to 4 million, if the government were to decide for a substantial, albeit gradual, extension of the use of the Covid certificate. Almost a third, one million and 200 thousand people, is the remaining slice of the state, who do not work in health care or in the world of education (where the obligation already exists).
After settling its employees, the state will ask private individuals to do the same. Starting with the sectors in which the certificate is already requested, but only for users: from transport, with an audience of over 600 thousand workers, to catering services (more than a million people) to cultural and sporting activities, with over 300 thousand people engaged in cinemas, theaters, museums, but also gyms and swimming pools.
These numbers are probably underestimated, given that they only take into account workers hired and regularly registered. But, for each category, there are different needs and criticalities: the trade unions would like to avoid generalized impositions, assessing the exposure to the risk of contagion case by case and whether or not there is direct contact with the public.
The extension of the Green Pass to a few million Italian workers is decided. Mario Draghi made it clear to the Lega as well as to the trade unions that the move is unavoidable. The discussion within the majority and with the social partners will only serve to define the operating procedures. Tomorrow a meeting is scheduled between the unions and Confindustria, to talk about safety in offices and companies, starting from the anti Covid protocol in force. It is no mystery that, on both sides, they would prefer the solution of the vaccination obligation imposed by law, which presents fewer application and organizational problems than the Green pass.
Starting with the certificate control activities, in particular of the unvaccinated, with the theme of who will have to pay the tampons (at least two a week) necessary to obtain the Pass.
“The issue of the Green Pass in the workplace seems to us a way to escape the issue of the vaccination obligation – warns the leader of Fiom Cgil Francesca Re David – I do not think there is a need for a comparison from this point of view: they have downloaded on the social parts an issue that concerns the government ”.
The obligation, however, is only the final weapon, which Draghi wanted to shake, but hopes not to have to use. Much will depend on the effects of the provision in preparation, which will be discussed in the next few days by the government control room and then will arrive in the council of ministers.
It will follow the one already in force for school staff: without the Green pass you risk staying at home without a salary. Because, for the workers concerned, there is no (or there will not be) smart working that holds up. Starting with public employees, which Minister Renato Brunetta wants to bring all or almost all back to the office starting from October: the precondition is, in fact, the government initiative on the requirement of a Covid certificate.
Net of health workers and school and university staff, who already have the vaccine or Green Pass obligation, we are talking about about one million and 200 thousand state officials.
Including men and women of the police, who currently fine those who do not have the Green Pass, where required, but are not required to have it. The trade unions are skeptical, asking for a more in-depth discussion on the categories for which the obligation of green certification is to be envisaged, “given that not all workers have the same level of exposure to risk”.
A slippery reasoning, when it comes to putting the law into practice, because it would open the door to interpretations and distinctions even within individual companies, making checks and sanctions complicated.
However, the road has been traced, that on the public sector will be the first move of the autumn strategy, to give a new boost to vaccinations.
The obligation could then be extended to “all workers who have contact with the public, I am also thinking of hypermarkets and shopping centers,” says Sandra Zampa, former undersecretary and still consultant to Health Minister Roberto Speranza. In the 1300 shopping “villages” open throughout Italy, however, to date people can freely enter without a Covid certificate, which is only used to sit in the internal restaurants.
“It should be required of everyone, workers and customers,” adds Zampa. In the event, another 780,000 workers would be involved in the extension of the Green Pass.
That would add to 2 million among transport workers, workers in the catering sector and in that of cultural and sporting activities (cinemas, theaters, museums, gyms and the like). It must be said that several owners of restaurants, bars or gyms have already required their employees to obtain a pass, but without having a legal basis to force them.
And many of these employees are in the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups, the very ones in which one in four people have not yet received even a dose of the vaccine.
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