The bill, which, among other things, changes Article 18 of the 1970 Workers Statute protecting people from unfair dismissal, has been fiercely contested by a minority within Premier Matteo Renzi‘s centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and by two out of Italy‘s three big trade union confederations, CGIL and UIL. Indeed some 40 PD lawmakers walked out rather than vote last week when the bill cleared the Lower House.