ITALIAN GROUP
MIGRATION WAVES FROM 1976 TO 1985 IN ITALY
At the end of the Second World War the UE became a labor importing country. The UE was reconstructing itself from the rubble of the World War and it was facing a period of a great economic and industrial development; it was arriving a strong labor demand from the counties of the North Central Europe, which was answered from some European countries less developed economically like Spain, Grece, Ireland, Yugoslavia, Portugal and Italy, too.
This phase of development and labor demand from rich countries ended in the early ‘70s, with the beginning of a global economic crisis marked by a continuous increase in the oil price. From 1973 to 1982, the exceptional and unexpected amount of immigration waves brought the developed States of Western Europe to get more restricted policies. The governments of these countries decided to block the influx of workers from abroad, making it difficult to enter or launching financial enhancing programs to encourage the return to their homeland. On the other hand, even those European countries like Italy and Spain, Portugal and Greece, whose citizens had to emigrate in search of work, became an immigration destination.
With the beginning of the ‘80s there has been an unprecedented crisis of Third World countries; it deals with nations crushed by a population growth out of control which is joined to a forced migration, caused by wars, revolutions, persecutions. Under these conditions, emigration is no longer just the search of a new job improving life condition; these new waves look more like an escape for survival. In fact Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco, Tunisia, the Philippines are among the poorest countries of the respective geographical areas and the ones with a greater push in migration.
In this context, the job opportunities offered to an immigrant by the landing countries become less important: it is no coincidence that the percentage of unemployed among immigrants has never been so high in all the countries of immigration. Even for immigrants who manage to find work, this is, in many cases, precarious and not regularized. The entire emigration tends to become illegal. For this reason there is a dual labor market, one for foreigners and one for regular workers with different costs for employers. This situation will raise dynamics of exploitation and it will create racial conflicts with local workers who see threatened their social achievements.
The arrival of the first migration wave in Italy began in the early 70s, with the beginning of the oil crisis. Italy was chosen by immigrants who couldn’t reach the rich countries of the north-central Europe because of strong restrictive policies.
The first foreign groups were from various origins: there were Chileans who were refugees in Italy after the Pinochet coup of 1973 and in Milan there were already Chinese, Egyptian, Eritrean communities. The female component among immigrants was very high, women were engaged in houseworks.
In 1976, actually, the issue of immigration had not yet appeared. The majority of foreigners living in Italy consisted of students which were helped by UCSEI (Catholic Office Foreign students in Italy); but it was a phenomenon of limited size and provisional.
In the first half of the 80s the problem began with the first Nigerian who arrived in Genoa, disembarked and remained in Italy. At this point the problem started to be perceived by public opinion, the most discerning local authorities begin to support voluntary organizations. Among the foreign communities prevail those of Asian origin (Chinese, Filipino, Sri Lankan) and American (Brazilian, Chilean or Argentine).
The 80's are, however, those of the large influx of immigrants from African like Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal who were escaping from wars and crises in their countries of origin.
Soon it was realized that the assistance could not be the solution, rather aggravated the situation, because it created the illusion that there was a solution for immigrants.
The three pastoral offices of the CEI (Caritas, Missions, Emigration) conducted for five years a strong cultural battle of information and stimulation on political bodies responsible because they deal with the problem with a comprehensive package of laws on the staying, on the work, on health, on political refuge, on the study of immigrants.
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The legal status of foreigners has undergone a deep change. In 1981 Italy ratified the ILO Convention (International Labor Organization) nr.143 of 1975, concerning the promotion and equality of opportunity and treatment of migrant workers. With this legislation were introduced into Italian law the principles of equal treatment and full equality of rights for foreign workers staying in Italy. To be entitled to equal treatment compared to Italian citizens the migrant mustn’t be in a condition of illegality.
Ludovica Asselta
Luca Lomolino
Francesco de Tullio
