Richmond University (Florence)

Spring 2011

Women in Italian Society

Dr. Noel Gazzano noel_gazzano@yahoo.it

Natalie Acone

Gender Equality in the Italian Workforce

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INTRODUCTION When I came to Italy I came to learn about a new society and culture, and compare it to the one I am used to. The workforce is vital to a society, and how it is structured and run varies from the largest continents, countries, cities, to the smallest towns. At first it was pure curiosity that drove my interest in learning about women in the Italian workplace. An aspect that peaked my curiosity about the jobs women in Italy hold came from an observation. As I walked through the streets near the Duomo in Florence, I noticed police walking around in pairs. What surprised me was the majority of the pairs were women. There were some that were a man and a woman, and some that were a woman and woman, but in either case there was almost always a woman. It surprised me to see so many women in the police career. In the United States I have observed the majority of police positions being held by men. This contrast caused me to want to look further into the jobs women hold, and if there is a sense of gender equality in the Italian workforce. I became curious to see if there are struggles Italian woman may go through that rival the struggles in the United States, or if they go through even worse struggles to find an equal place among men in the workplace. The topic of gender equality in the Italian workforce reflects the idea that men and women are given equal opportunity for employment, promotion and pay. My question is if gender equality in the Italian workforce exists. My hypothesis for this research question is that all though Italy as a nation maybe making changes and small moves towards it, overall gender equality does not exist in the Italian workplace. Women in Italy have consistently been told there place is in the domestic sphere. They are told this by men, and they are told this by previous generations of women. I believe that this idea has led to gender discrimination in the workplace, and women in Italy today struggle more than men to find careers, and further struggle for equal pay in the workplace.

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RESEARCH METHODS In order to find out if my hypothesis had validity I need to do some research. The way I conducted my research and collected my data was three fold. I used a combination of analysis from academic sources, interview, and my own observations of Italian society. I used the academic sources to gain a better understanding of the state of women not just in the Italian workforce, but in the European workforce as a whole. I also used these sources as a starting point for my research on the issues that exist for women in the workplace. Through these academic sources I could see the statistical analysis of the state of the Italian workforce. Through seeing actual numbers, I was able to understand where women stood in the workplace of Italian society. I found these sources by looking in the reader, the Richmond library, and through an online journal database. An issue that I had to grapple with was getting through the dense readings. I had only some difficulty finding sources and research on the topic of women in the workforce. The issue was that there was so much research on women in the workforce, that I found it difficult to narrow down the readings to the to the questions I was researching. Although the reading was long and dense, and often difficult to get through, I found it interesting and very helpful in my research. The second research method that I used was interviews. I wanted to talk to Italian women who are well experienced in the Italian workforce. I wanted to interview women who are at least in their thirties because these women could give me insight into the women in the workforce during the past generations, as well as the state of women in the workforce now. I hoped that they could explain if there was a change over generations. I wanted to interview two women, but found it difficult to find the person and the time to talk to a second informant. But, I did find a wonderful informant who brought key insight to Italian women in the workforce. She wanted me

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to remain objective though, because all of the information that she provided me was through her own experience and observation. She reinforced the fact that experiences can change from women to woman. My informant was a woman who works in the education system. I chose this woman because she was able to manage a successful career and because she was accessible. I contacted this woman in person, and simply asked if she would help me gain a better understanding of women in the Italian workforce for a course I was taking. She was more than happy to oblige. I conducted the interview during the day. It was a very casual setting. We sat down next to each other in the empty library, and just had a discussion. The interview lasted about an hour, and was filled with great discussion between the two of us. I came into the interview with a list of questions, so I knew the topics I wanted to discuss specifically. We were able to cover most of them, as well as other topics that aided to my research as well. My informant, Victoria, is thirty years old, unmarried, with no children. My third research method was observation. I wanted to observe the jobs that women in Florence hold. In addition, I wanted to see if there were an equal number of men and women holding the same types of jobs. In order to conduct this observational research I simply went for a walk. On a Saturday afternoon I took a walk on both the Oltrano side of the Arno, and the Duomo side of the Arno to see the businesses that existed, and the employees in the those businesses. In hindsight, I wish that I would have taken the time to ask the people in the shops I wandered into some questions. I only walked in, noticed who was working and what they were doing. I struggled to find the right way to approach these workers. I knew that there was a likely chance that they would speak English, but part of me still felt there would be a language barrier. My shyness to converse with the workers could also have been the result of a culture barrier that I feel might exist. In America, I would find it odd to walk up to a stranger in a shop and ask how

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they felt about their job and what their work experience was like. Part of me felt that this oddness would exist if I were to approach Italian workers. The shops I walked into varied from small vintage shops, to paper making shops, to large scale department stores like the clothing store HM. Even though I did not interview the Italian workers I observed, this type of observation showed me the balance of employment in Florence between genders.

ANALYSIS

When determining equality in the Italian workforce a key aspect that has to be looked at is the equality of pay between genders, or the pay differential. When I began to look into this aspect I encountered some difficulties. While researching this topic I could not find current data on the pay differential by gender in the Italian workforce. While I searched through case studies, and statistics the latest data I could find was from twenty years ago. It frustrated me that I could not find reliable current research being done on what I think is such an important topic. At first I thought that it had to be the way I was searching for information. Maybe I was looking in the wrong places, or maybe I was just overlooking something. But, when I came across a study titled Wage Determination and Sex Segregation in Employment the Case of Italy I realized that maybe my inability to find the information I was looking for was not completely my fault. The information I was looking for may simply not exist. The lack of in depth research and study being dedicated to the pay differentials by gender is mentioned in the study. This work, compiled in 1993, states: Since 1985, it has no longer been possible to conduct any sound analysis on the patterns of wage differentials by gender, for the country as a whole. And our understanding of the situation is such that no improvement can be expected in the near future (Bettio 5).

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This statement opened my eyes to the fact that the information I seek may just not be available to me because it is not there. The study further mentions three official projects that were dedicated to looking at the structure of earnings in Italy. The projects include a commission set up by the Ministry of Labour, a report conducted by the Association of State Petroleum Corporations, and a commission set up by the Commissione dellInformazione (National Council for Employment). In all three of these projects no quality data or analysis on pay differentials by gender is researched or recorded. With little information out there to be found, it was no wonder I could not find it. Because I could not find the information I wanted I began to wonder why the topic of pay differentials by gender seem to have been pushed aside. Generally if there is an injustice like unequal pay there are people fighting for justice, and in this case there would be women fighting for equal pay, or at least the release of information about what is going on with wages in Italy. If there were women that wanted justice served, updated information would have to be released somewhere somehow. But, the lack of recent reports, studies, and available information seems to extend further, and symbolize a country made up of citizens complacent in the way things are. From personal observation, I see a change in this sense of complacency. The demonstration that was held on February 13th this year was an indicator of a desire for change. Women and men gathered to rally for the rights and equality for women in the media, in the workforce, and in Italy as a whole. It is clear that Italian society has a great deal of turmoil to deal with concerning equality for women, and change will hopefully result in access to more accurate information. In the studies I did find, there is evidence of women paying paid less than men for similar jobs. Moreover, women were found to be over-represented in the low pay industries (Bettio). This information was found from studies conducted from 1983 to 1989, so there is a likely

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chance that the numbers have changed, but the overall results might not have. In class we discussed how women in Italian society today hold 79% of short term contracts. The short term contracts affect the rate of pay, and could lead to a lower wage than that of a long term contract. If women are still being paid less, still fill the majority low wage positions, and are more likely to have short term contracts, this could lead to a substantial pay differential between men and women in current Italian society. Although it was difficult to find information on pay differentials, I was able to find information on employment differentials. A press release from Eurostat states that in 2009 the employment rate for individuals ages 15-64 in Italy was 57.5%. The overall employment rate for men was 68.6%, while the employment rate for women was twenty-two points lower at 46.4%. The difference in rates was the third highest of the countries in the European Union, only falling behind Malta and Greece (Massarell). In my interview I asked Victoria how she felt about the fact that a large gap still existed between genders in employment rates. She responded: I am surprised. I work and I work with a lot women, I know women that also work. My mother had a job, and my grandmother had a job. I see more women working, and believe things are changing. So to hear that, I am surprised (Vaccaro). The large gap in employment rate may be attributed to the current financial and economic crisis that is being felt across the world. The same press release stated that the overall employment rate in the twenty-seven European Union countries fell 64.6% in 2009 (Massarell). Victoria explained to me that this has definitely been felt in Italy when she said, Today both men and women must work really hard to find jobs, (Vaccaro). But, this crisis could have only made worse a problem that already existed. To see if this hypothesis was true I looked back at the 1993 study. In this I found statistics showing that the rate of employment has historically

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been higher in men than women (Bettio). So the notion of a 22 point gap between men and women is a rational number for the current Italian workforce. But, even as I rationalized the numbers I was reading, I struggled to mentally match those numbers to the observations I was making. As I walked around Florence I saw equal numbers of men and women working. For every woman working in a shop, I saw a man working in a bar. For every waitress I saw at a restaurant, I saw a man working at a museum. Victoria echoed the same sentiment when she said, Now things are going more towards balance. There was only one small difference that I did see. More men were baristas and I found more women working in department stores. My overall interpretation of what I saw was that the employment rate between men and women was equal. When comparing it to the numbers I found in my research I came to the conclusion that this interpretation is very limited. I only observed areas of Florence, and Florence cannot speak for the entire country of Italy. Victoria gave evidence to this theory when she said: What is true for me may not be true for another woman somewhere else. There are regional differences. There are differences from city to city. What is seen in one place may not be seen in another. My experiences are not the same as every other woman (Vaccaro). The regional differences were an aspect that I did not take into account when I began this research. I assumed that what is true for Florentine women would be the same for any other woman in Italy. But, the experiences of woman cannot be so over generalized. The area that a woman comes from may have different opportunities in terms of education, or may be more open to womens employment. This makes it difficult to draw conclusions about woman in the Italian workforce because there are so many different regions and sub sequentially different cultures. Any conclusions about women in the Italian workforce that are drawn in this paper could be considered collective generalizations of a diverse society.

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When I was talking to Victoria about the gap between pay and employment rates she said, I thought the law would prevent that. She felt that women were seen as risky and dangerous investments in the workplace because they could leave at any moment to have a baby. She further reiterated she thought even though this idea existed, the law was going to protect against that. The law she refers to is an article in the Italian Constitution, which was established in 1947. In article 37 of the Constitution it states: Working women have the same rights and are entitled to equal pay for equal work. Working conditions must allow women to fulfill their essential role in the family and ensure special appropriate protection for the mother and child (Italy Constitution). It is difficult for me to understand how a law could clearly state that women have the same rights, but yet still be ignored by some Italian people. I am not nave enough to think that every article and law of a constitution is always followed by the people it governs. I have seen people in the United States ignore, fight over, and change laws that were made in our constitution. But, when it comes to the rights of a gender, in my experience these rights are no longer ignored in the United States. So, for me to see a written law state that women are entitled to equal pay for equal work on one hand, and then see how this in many cases the law has little effect is shocking. In Wage Determination and Sex Segregation in Employment The Case of Italy, the authors propose a theory for why women are paid less. Their theory states, The 1977 law (art 7) states that women should receive the same pay as men when the job performed is the same or of equal value. However nothing is said about the effective valuation of jobs, (Bettio 3). What the authors are proposing is that how to determine if a womans work is equal to a mans work was never defined. The law states equal pay for equal work, but if there is no clear way to evaluate the equivalences of the work, then equal pay cannot be determined. Because the

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evaluation of equal work is subjective to those evaluating differentials in pay could be an inevitable result. During my interview one of the topics I was most curious to find out Victorias opinion on was the balance between having a career and being a wife and mother. In Italy, the notion exists that a woman cannot have a career and be a good wife and mother. This idea is what some employers consider makes women a risk to hire. It is also what used to keep some women from pursuing careers. In my conversation with Victoria she responded to this idea by saying: A woman can work and be a good wife and mother. It is hard to do, but it is possible. I have seen women who are great wives and mothers, and are also good at their job. It is difficult to balance, but I do not think it should hold women back (Vaccaro). Victoria is an unmarried woman with no children and because of this could only offer her opinion, and evidence from what she has seen. But, through my interview I was able to understand that in Italian society today, many women do not want to only be a wife and mother. Victoria further said, I work because I want to work, and I have to work. From this statement I drew the conclusion that women today want to be self-sufficient, and find a role beyond that of a housewife. They want to be able to pursue a career, and then have the choice to keep their career if they later want to have a family. The idea that a woman is expected to give up her career after she gets married or has a baby is not one that women in Italian society necessarily want to adhere by anymore. There are examples of women who are able to have the family, and keep their career. For example, Maria is a young woman who owns her own business with her husband. After having a child she did not give up the business. Instead, she created a balance, and shared responsibilities for the child with her husband. She had support, and was able to keep her career. My interview with Victoria helped me to understand that the notion that an Italian woman should

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not work because she will not be able to balance family in work may be losing much of its validity as more women are successfully finding this balance. Although there is still a gap in employment rates between men and women it is not because of a lack of trying on the side of women. Victoria stated, I know only a couple of girls who intentionally dont work. For most girls who do not work, they are still looking for work. The search for employment is a difficult search no matter what gender. But, for women in Italian society it seems to be a little bit harder. The difficulties in finding a career may be the result of a new freedom that women in Italian society are finding. Victoria explained: My grandmother owned the family business, she had no choice. It was assumed she would. My mother was a teacher because that was what she was told she would be, she had no choice. But, my parents let me choose what I wanted to do. Since they didnt have a choice, they wanted to give me a choice (Vaccaro). The ability to choose what career they want to have is an excellent step for women, but I believe it has contributed to a struggle for women to actually find careers. Without someone telling them what they will be, women must search for the career they want. The search for what they want to do for a job may be difficult for some women, as it is for any person. Furthermore, once a woman has figured out what she wants to do she must find the job that satisfies that desire. In a society that has a history of neglecting the employment of women this may be even more difficult.

CONCLUSION In the beginning of my research I stated that my hypothesis was Italy as a nation maybe making changes and small moves towards gender equality, but overall it does not exist in the Italian workplace. I have come to realize that the existence of gender equality in the work force

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of Italy is not black and white. It does not simply exist or not exist. From my interview I got the impression that a great deal has changed for women in Italy today. They are able to pursue a career and have a family. In addition, a lot of women are being given the freedom to choose the career path they want to pursue. It seems that women no longer have to be confined to the role of the housewife, or do what has been planned by others. They have a certain amount of freedom to find a career they want to pursue, and follow that path. But, the freedom to find a career does not guarantee that women in Italy today will find a job. During a time when both men and women are having trouble finding jobs, it seems that women still have a more difficult time, with a gap still existing between employment rates. On the surface, from pure observation, it does seem that major positive changes and moves towards a more equal work force have been made. I would have liked to interview more people, both men and women, to see if they also saw the change Victoria revealed she has seen. With more informants I could have drawn more accurate conclusions. With the information I gained through observation, interview, and research the conclusion I can draw is that in Italy today gender inequality still does exist in the work force. It exists because women still have a lower employment rate than men, and because pay differentials do exist between Italian men and women, with women consistently getting paid lower than men.

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References ACADEMIC SOURCES Bettio, Francesca, and Paola Villa. Wage Determination and Sex Segregation in Employement The Case of Italy. Manchester, United Kingdom: Manchester School of Management, 1993. Print. Lips, Hilary M. "Chapter 13: Issues in the Workplace." Sex and Gender: an Introduction. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008. 492-530. Print. Thebaud, Franoise. Toward a Cultural Identity in the Twentieth Century. 3rd ed. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard, 1998. Print. INTERVIEW Vaccaro, Victoria. "Gender Equality in the Italian Workforce." Personal interview. 15 Mar. 2011. OTHER SOURCES Massarell, Nicola. "Employment Rate in the EU27 Fell to 64.6% in 2009 But Rate for Older Workers up to 46.0%."Labor Force Survey. Eurostat News Release, 4 Aug. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. <http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/3-04082010BP/EN/3-04082010-BP-EN.PDF>. "ICL - Italy - Constitution." Internetprojekte Prof. Dr. Axel Tschentscher, LL.M., M.A.International Constitutional Law Project, 23 May 2003. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. <http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/it00000_.html>.