Abstract

The author starts in his reflection about the fortieth anniversary of the "Statuto dei lavoratori" from the contribution that Act gave to the civil evolution of the country, mainly in asserting a model of personnel management contrary to the authoritarian and paternalistic one embedded in the civil code. Even if it witnesses a remote season, it keeps its value as a bulwark to guarantee freedom and dignity of working people also in a new and different context. Particularly, the author underlines the permanent need to support trade union as a subject apt to the defence of work in general, not only as counter-power but also as bargaining agent, both in particular and general questions and problems.