Spring and early summer were not marked by shortage of workers in the sectors of catering andhospitality. After the data Inps on the assumptions of seasonal in May, confirmation comes from the report State on the labor market in the second quarter. The rate of vacancies in those sectors, although increasing, it remains in fact lower than pre-Covid levels. In absolute terms, it is true that between April and June the index reached a level “never recorded since 2016” (1.8%), notes the institute. But the surge, as reconstructed on Twitter by the economist Andrea Garnero, depends on other sectors: in particular the professional, scientific and technical activities, followed by business services (legal, accounting, R&D, marketing).
However, the vacancy rate in hospitality & catering is lower than pre-crisis. In online constructions. It is in business services and in technical and professional activities (legal, accounting, R&D, marketing) that the strongest increases are recorded. pic.twitter.com/7Ya3NKu7cn
– Andrea Garnero (@AGarnero) September 13, 2021
The numbers, therefore, belie the narrative according to which the “subsidies” – from Basic income for which abolition are deployed on center right e Italy alive – they would have caused a stampede of workers from the reception sector just as activities restarted after the winter restrictions. The “sustained” growth in the vacancy rate – vacancies for which the employer “actively seeks out a suitable candidate and is willing to make extra efforts to find him” – is driven by uncovered positions in industries that suffer from other problems. Definitely the difficulty of crossroad between supply and demand and the need for one professional training that takes into account the needs of the productive world. “Italy has many real unused employment fields, due to the serious malfunctions of its system of services to the labor market. Citizenship income? It affects, but only marginally ”, commented for example the labor lawyer and former senator of the Democratic Party Pietro Ichino regarding the latest Unioncamere data according to which in August the companies expected to hire 256 thousand workers but 32.7% of the figures were difficult to find.
The other front is that of very low wage levels. It is no coincidence that reports of difficulties in finding “arms” come from companies throughout the West and also from Chinese ones. Everywhere, the data show that subsidies have little to do with it. And the solution identified by those who cannot help but hire seems the same: increase salaries and offer entry bonuses to new hires, instead of welcoming them with internships. A line of action that for now Italian companies are struggling to imitate.