Unprecedented revolution within the Vatican Museums: 49 workers threaten to file a criticism in opposition to Pope Francis' administration for his or her working situations | EUROtoday

Most Reverend Eminence, our working situations hurt the dignity and well being of staff. The poor administration is obvious, which might be much more severe if it have been the results of the one logic of acquiring better earnings.” Along with the previous text, the seal of the lawyer is reproduced. Laura Sgrthe same one that managed to reopen the investigation into the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandithe 15-year-old Vatican girl who disappeared in Rome on June 22, 1983. 49 employees of the Vatican Museums -47 security guards, a restaurateur and a bookstore employee (out of a total of 700) -, who threaten with an unprecedented measure: taking the Vatican before the courts if some fundamental rules governing work within the Holy See. The first known “class motion lawsuit” within the walls of San Pedro.

As announced this Sunday, the Corriere della Serathe complaints have been notified by letter this past week to the Cardinal Fernando Vrguez Alzaga, president of the Governatorate, the body that exercises executive power in the city-state and on which the museum workers also depend. Technically it is the first step before going to conciliation, so that the other party is given 30 days to make a move under threat of opening a true judicial process. But beyond the formalisms, what emerges is a very harsh accusation against the Vatican pattern, which not only raises questions about the respect for rights and protections already widely acquired elsewhere (and also wanted by Francis himself, according to his recent interventions), but also doubts about the security of one of the most important and visited cultural institutions in the world.

What do the 49 employees (all Italians and residents of Rome) denounce? What is striking is the absence of some basic rules that usually regulate labor law. In the event of illness, for example, there are no time slots for insurance visits: “You have to remain house all day”. “When a employee is sick,” the document reads, “he should stay locked up.” The insurance visit can come at any time. There have been cases of sanctions against employees who were in the doctor's office. “Remaining on the employer's disposal exterior of working hours is a violation of the dignity of non-public freedom.”

Overtime also poses a problem, since according to employees, they are being compensated “at much less price than extraordinary work”. “After six hours in your toes, you have to proceed working and obtain a decrease wage. And the employer abuses this instrument,” they say.

Furthermore, there would be no criteria to assign levels and classes of merit linked to seniority: “They are absolutely the property of the supervisor who makes use of them as he pleases. Absolute discrimination reigns, a perpetual state of chaos“. The evaluation of employees “is negatively influenced by the circumstance that the employee assists a member of the family who suffers from a severe and severe sickness,” they accuse. “Those who deal with their sick members of the family are punished.”

But the crucial issue is the complete absence of a social safety net: “In the Vatican there is no such thing as a layoff fund, there aren’t any earnings assist measures in case of disaster or phases of complete unemployment.” A gap that had never been felt until Covid arrived. In November 2023, Francisco, motu proprio, imposed the suspension of the increase in seniority for the 2021-2023 biennium. And there were protests. However, the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage, in October 2021, had even issued a “Notice of Hours Debt” for employees who were forced to stay home during the pandemic, resulting in each of them they had “a destructive variety of hours.”

To repay it, a sum is withheld from the salary “till the debt is exhausted.” In essence: Workers are asked to return part of the salaries paid during confinement. A completely abnormal measure.

In addition to those strictly related to the employment relationship, the letter also raises relevant questions about the safety of the work environment of the 49 employees willing to sue the Vatican Museums. The “plaintiffs” make it known that they are not granted “compensation for well being, organic and bodily dangers”, despite “direct contact with 1000’s of individuals a day.” But not only that, the act states that “Between 25,000 and 30,000 individuals move by the Vatican Museums day by day, even supposing the utmost entry restrict is indicated at 24,000 per day.. In itself it’s an enormity in comparison with the chances.” But the list is long: from emergency exits (“solely two are accessible”), to “rooms with out air con” that in summer cause “severe episodes” ( and “first help is the duty of the janitors”) and that put at risk the “conservation of the works”, including “the small variety of guards (just one on the entrance), which has created issues when annoying guests “they get violent.”

For a very long time, workers have tried to succeed in an settlement individually however have all the time hit a wall. It should be remembered that the Vatican nonetheless doesn’t acknowledge any union. “The Pope talks about rights, but we here are considered simple goods,” they accuse. He Courier He contacted the director of the Museums a number of instances on Sunday, Barbara Jatta, to ask for a response. At evening I obtained a message: “Write and I will respond.” There was no additional response, however the story appears to have solely simply begun.