Bologna grows more expensive, work poorer: 'Reduce the gap between high and low salaries with the City's budget surplus'

Bologna is grappling with a growing economic divide, characterized by stagnant wages and a rising cost of living, prompting calls for urgent action from city officials and labor unions.

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Bologna is a city that needs to reduce the distance between those with lower and higher salaries. The discussion we will have with the unions on the budget surplus, and then on the next Municipal budget, will go in this direction.

A recent report by IRES, the research institute of the Chamber of Labor, painted a stark picture of Bologna's economy. It highlighted a decline in industrial employment and a surge in "poor work" – jobs that are precarious, offer fewer protections, and come with lower pay. This trend is occurring simultaneously as housing costs and the general cost of living continue their upward trajectory.

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My commitment is to discuss the tourism and restaurant sector, but also, in general, on how to support the middle class and those segments weakened by inflation.

Mayor Matteo Lepore has acknowledged the city's need to "reduce the distance between those with lower and higher salaries." He plans to convene with trade unions to discuss how the city's budget surplus can be strategically allocated to bridge this gap. The discussions will also focus on supporting the middle class and those most affected by inflation.

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The next six months will be difficult. We will see inflation and rates increase. And unfortunately, on this, the government is not providing answers, there is no policy.

Lepore expressed concern about the coming months, anticipating increased inflation and interest rates, and criticized the national government for a lack of decisive economic policy. "The government is floating, while cities are trying to find resources to support the population," he stated. The Chamber of Labor, while welcoming the mayor's commitment, awaits concrete proposals, particularly regarding the allocation of the €70.8 million budget surplus, to determine if it can effectively address the financial needs of Bologna's residents.

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The government is floating, while cities are trying to find resources to support the population. I want to respond to the unions that we are here and I want to work with concrete proposals together with them in these months.