Italy, Greens welcome the adoption of the law on supplementary pensions for artists in the Regional Council

“This is another success for the Greens in the Regional Council: the law on supplementary pensions for artists has been adopted,” said the Verdi – Grüne – Vërc. The Italian Green party believes that anyone who works in the cultural sector does so out of passion – but is no less entitled to financial security. The party believes that precarious employment relationships and uncertain income prospects shape the daily lives of many artists, performers and cultural workers. That is why politics now wants to react: the Trentino-South Tyrol Regional Council has adopted a law that should ensure better old-age provision.

The bill adopted in the Regional Council had previously been unanimously approved by the 1st legislative committee of the region. It was presented by the Green regional councilors Zeno Oberkofler, Brigitte Foppa, Madeleine Rohrer and Lucia Coppola, as well asPhilipp Achammer and Magdalena Amhof (UDC).

The bill aims to improve the old-age provision of art and culture workers in South Tyrol and Trentino. Specifically, the bill provides for an increase in the contribution to the supplementary pension fund: in future, the region will have to pay up to 1,000 euros per year – instead of 500 euros – into private pensions for art and culture workers. The amount should be based on the amount of deposits, which the persons concerned make themselves.

“Anyone who devotes their life to culture earns a reasonable pension. We recognize the value of hard work “behind the scenes”. The increase in the pension fund contribution is a crucial step in ensuring the economic security of those working in art and culture – a field that is often marked by financial uncertainties,” explains Oberkofler.

The “cultural package”

This measure is part of a comprehensive cultural package that the Greens have been successfully promoting in the region and in South Tyrol since last year. “The demands for the promotion of studios and the promotion of nightlife culture have already been accepted by the state parliament,” said Oberkofler, Foppa, Rohrer and Coppola.

With the adoption of this law, the Greens have set an example in terms of the recognition of art and culture workers, as well as their right to decent working conditions and recognition of their social value.