Brussels, 29/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Parliament Petitions Committee, chaired by Vitaliano Gemelli (EPP, Italian), heard the testimony of the Scotsman David Petrie with regards to the discrimination experienced over recent years by foreign lecturers teaching in their own language. The MEP Neil Mac Cormick (Greens/ALE, Scottish), who is professor in law, wrote on 4 April a letter to the Italian Permanent Representative to the EU Umberto Vattani, qualifying as 'shameful' and 'scandalous' the treatment of this category of teacher, in violation of the Community's Court of Justice.
David Petrie, who teaches at the University of Verona and chairs the largest trade union of lecturers ("lettori") in Italy (ALLSI), met on this occasion the European Commission representatives to ask them, he says in a press release, what measures have been taken with regards to the Commission decision, on 16 October 2002, and to send an ultimatum to Italy in order for it to cease illegal and discriminatory practices, or face massive fines from the Court of Justice. For fifteen years, this category of teacher, though the courts have decreed their work equivalent to that of associate professors or confirmed researchers, see themselves refused automatic wage increases for seniority, while the wages of Italian colleagues have increased greatly. Foreign teachers in Bologna are paid EUR 600 per month, like in 1986, he complains.