The Arts and Entertainment sector has long been at the centre of debate due to its complexity and the precariousness that characterises workers. The UNISCA association highlights the urgency of a structural reform that addresses the main critical issues: redefinition of the sector, bureaucratic simplification, optimisation of resources and, above all, the introduction of adequate contractual, social security and welfare protections.
Although discontinuity income is considered an important step, UNISCA argues that it should be included in a broader and more coordinated reform framework. Currently, existing regulations recognise the discontinuity income of workers in the sector, but these provisions are fragmented, leading to confusion and abuse of protections. The reality of work in the performing arts is characterised by strong discontinuity, not only in terms of income but also contractual, with workers engaged in several daily activities under different contracts. For this reason, UNISCA calls for a review of protections and the introduction of a universal unemployment benefit to support discontinuous workers more effectively.
The implementing decree of 29 August 2023, attached to Law 106/2022, provides for the introduction of a discontinuity allowance as of 1 January 2024. This measure offers an allowance equal to 60 per cent of the average daily wage, for a maximum of one-third of the credited working days, to workers enrolled in the F.P.L.S. Fund. However, it has been criticised for being insufficient compared to other subsidies such as NASpI and ALAS, and for not fully addressing the complexities of intermittent and precarious work that characterise the sector.
In conclusion, while the discontinuity income represents a first step, it is clear that the sector needs broader and more structured solutions to ensure adequate protections and effective support for workers, reducing the fragmentation and precariousness that currently dominate it.
Here the entire hearing presented by Unisca
