ROME -- As the Supreme Court ruled, Britain’s Parliament now must vote on whether the UK Government can commence the Brexit process. MPs must vote to back Britain’s exit from the European Union before Prime Minister Theresa May can begin talks with the EU to negotiate the terms of the departure.

 The Brexit process is still defined by its vacuous nature and widespread unnerving uncertainty (over anything else), as Scottish lecturer David Petrie of Verona University stressed in a recent conference entitled ‘Brexit: An empty chair.’

 However the MPs vote, as Prof. Petrie sees it, the issue of labour mobility and equal opportunities within the EU absolutely needs to be addressed. It has potential to be aggravated further if Britain does leave.

 If free movement is restricted and people are denied equal professional opportunities in other countries, the fear for expats following the referendum result, then “Europe will not be much more than a nice idea.”  

 Italian universities are riddled with corruption and discrimination. As Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy chairman, Petrie wants to remedy that lettori are consistently paid less, receive tardy pay checks, have more volatile pension and social security rights, and are dished out very fragile work contracts.

 It is well known that ‘raccomandazione,’ the process of hiring people not for merit but for their name, connections or family ties, is widespread in the universities here, seemingly an inherent part of Italian society. In the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi’s city government more and more Five Star Movement figures, and now Ms Raggi herself, are being investigated for alleged corruption.

 Matteo Renzi recently proposed to challenge the university barons with ‘Natta teaching posts’ -- having the University system headed by professors selected by the Government.

 However, such periodic attempts at reform do not address the particular lettori plight and a promise by the Renzi government to compensate them was not honoured. Italian governments have failed to implement six judgements of the European Court of Justice concerning lettori, over a period of three decades.

 The UK ambassador to Italy, Jill Morris, says the foreign lecturers’ struggle “is very dear,” to her. Ms May raised their plight with Renzi. Britain will respect Italians’ rights in the UK, Ms Morris said, as long as those of Britons in Italy are respected following the probable Brexit process.

 Prof. Petrie was due to meet with Britain’s Europe minister, Sir Alan Duncan to give him a petition signed by 47 lettori, hoping to take up their predicament once again with the new Italian government in this current ‘empty chair’ climate.

 Italy is concerned about the future of the tens of thousands of Italians working in Britain, many in the education sector -- thus Italy could have the opportunity to set an example.

 Brexit could well offer an opportunity for the lettori discrimination finally to be resolved.

 nkd