La trilateralità infranta: l’estromissione dei sindacati dal governo dell’immigrazione per lavoro

This article analyses the involvement of social partners in the management of immigration, with a focus on the regulation of entry and residence for work purposes. While trade unions’ positions on the entry of migrant workers have varied in different contexts, employers’ associations have generally favoured the entry of labour from other countries, although their preferences have differed depending on national economic models. The International Labour Organisation has promoted a participatory model based on the involvement of social partners, assuming that trade unions and employer associations can contribute invaluable expertise to the development, dissemination, and supervision of migration policies. Initially, the Italian legislator adopted this model, introducing some forms of bilateral involvement. However, recent reforms have weakened tripartite social dialogue and formalised the role of employers’ associations in decision-making processes. The result is a structure in which trade unions are marginalised and lack effective mechanisms for control and protection in the management of labour migration.