The network of Quality Agricultural Work was the first and concrete initiative aimed at developing positive actions to fight illegal work and “caporalato” in agriculture.
Introduced by the law 116 of 2014 and subsequently modified by the law 199 of 2016, in order to expand the subjects that can join the network, as well as extend the functions of the Steering Board, the network of Quality Agricultural Work, aims to recognize an ethical and respectful work organization. Joining the network determines that the registered companies are not primarily the object of the controls put in place by the supervisory bodies of the Ministry of Labor and INPS.
Who can join in?
Agricultural companies that meet the following requirements can join the network:
- to have no criminal convictions for violations of labor and social legislation, for crimes against the public administration, crimes against public safety, crimes against the public economy, industry and commerce, crimes against feeling for animals and in matters of income and value added taxes, crimes referred to in articles 600, 601, 602 and 603-bis of the penal code;
- not to have been the recipients, in the last three years, of administrative sanctions, even if not definitive, for violations concerning work, social legislation and compliance with the obligations relating to the payment of taxes and fees;
- be up to date with the payment of social security contributions and insurance premiums;
- apply the collective agreements referred to in article 51 of the legislative decree 15 June 2015, n. 81;
- not to be controlled or connected, pursuant to Article 2359 of the Civil Code, to persons who do not possess the requirements described above;
Can also join the network of Quality Agricultural Work, through the stipulation of special agreements:
- immigration offices;
- local institutions;
- employment centers;
- bilateral bodies set up by employers ‘and workers’ organizations in agriculture;
- the subjects referred to in Article 6 of Legislative Decree 10 September 2003, n. 276;
- can join the network of Quality Agricultural Work, through the stipulation of specific agreements, if they meet the requirements set out in paragraph 1, the employment agencies referred to in Article 4 of Legislative Decree 10 September 2003, n. 276;
- other subjects authorized to carry out brokerage activities pursuant to Article 12 of Legislative Decree 14 September 2015, n. 150.
How does it functions?
The Network of Quality Agricultural Work is supervised by a steering board consisting of:
- a representative of the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Agricultural Food and Forestry Policies, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of the Interior, the National Labor Inspectorate, the Revenue Agency, the ANPAL, the INPS and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano;
- three representatives of agricultural employees and a representative of workers of agricultural cooperatives and three representatives of employers and self-employed agricultural workers and a representative of the agricultural cooperative associations that signed the CCNL.
The steering board has the following tasks:
- decides on requests for participation in the Network of Quality Agricultural Work within 30 days of presentation;
- excludes from the Network of Quality Agricultural Work agricultural enterprises that lose the requisites foreseen by the standard;
- draws up and updates the list of agricultural enterprises that participate in the Network of Quality Agricultural Work and publishes them on the INPS website;
- formulates proposals to the Ministry of Labor and social policies and to the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies on Labor and Social Legislation in the Agricultural Sector.
But above all it can carry out constant monitoring of the trend of the agricultural labor market, comparing the number of foreign workers who are employed and the number of foreign workers who are granted clearance for agricultural work.
The steering board also promotes initiatives, with the competent authorities and the social partners, on the following subjects:
- active labor policies;
- contrast to undeclared work and tax evasion;
- organization and management of seasonal labor flows;
- assistance to immigrant foreign workers.
The Network of Quality Agricultural Work can be articulated into territorial sections (based at the CISOA) and promote initiatives at territorial level, in agreement with the competent authorities, on the following subjects:
- active labor policies and combating tax evasion;
- organization and management of seasonal labor flows;
- assistance to immigrant foreign workers;
- intermediation of labor supply/demand in the agricultural sector, in collaboration with the ANPAL and the National Network of services for active labor policies;
- transport of workers to the workplace, also by entering into agreements with local authorities.
Currently there are 3,619 companies that adhere to the Quality Agricultural Work Network (INPS Data updated to 7 March 2019).