Povertà e lavoro: le nuove sfide per il diritto

The article, by leveraging the constitutional interpretation, identifies Labour Law, understood in the broad meaning which comprises Social Security Law, as the main tool of the legal order aimed at overcoming poverty and upholding human dignity. After having briefly outlined the historical evolution of the discipline and pointed out the aspects which mainly contribute to fight poverty, in the labour market and in the labour relationship, the author focuses upon the most recent challenges, which bring about new forms of poverty: deregulation, digital transformation of the economy, and now, pandemic. In the last paragraph the author conducts a critical assessment of the legislative initiatives in progress, comprising those laid down in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and presents his own suggestions for a revision of Labour Law which is able to strengthen its effectivenes in contrasting old and new forms of poverty, by keeping the centrality of work, understood as a right and a duty of every citizen, placed at the core of the republican pact.

Sommario: 1. Il contrasto alla povertà: alle radici del diritto del lavoro. 2. La laboriosità come antidoto alla povertà nel diritto del lavoro repubblicano. 3. I diritti di chi è senza lavoro: ammortizzatori sociali e servizi per l’impiego contro la povertà. 4. Dalla laboriosità alla cittadinanza: la lunga marcia dell’assistenza sociale contro la povertà. 5. Le sfide del nuovo millennio e l’impatto della pandemia: la povertà dentro e fuori il lavoro. 6. La lotta alla povertà oltre la pandemia: la centralità del lavoro.