CGIL 'ready to fight unacceptable return to austerity'

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 19 - A return to austerity with less funding for public healthcare, social security, public schools and jobs is unacceptable, Italy's biggest trade union confederation CGIL said on Monday.
    CGIL called on the government to find the necessary resources through higher taxes for wealthy people, financial returns, excess profits and by fighting tax evasion.
    In particular, CGIL confederal secretary Christian Ferrari warned that the union is ready to implement all necessary initiatives to back its requests ahead of the budget law to be approved by the end of the year.
    Ferrrari said, among other things, that the union is asking to confirm temporary tax cuts for some 14.7 million workers and to find the necessary resources to renew public contracts because "a 5.78% monetary increase for the 2021-2023 period is unacceptable given the 17% inflation over the three year period". (ANSA).