Abstract

In the ambit of working time, the traditional legislative abstention has been interrupted by the acts adopted in 1995-1997, even in absence of an organic reform. These acts are geared to working time reduction through regulative techniques and incentives. The essay analyses the effects of new legislation on the former situation; the changes involve both the substantial discipline and the way in which legislative and collective agreement competence are articulated. The new developments represented by the government engagement to reach the 35 hours working week and by the collective agreement on the implementation of the UE directive give rise to issues such as the equilibrium which can be reached between the different sources of regulation of this field.