The General Assembly of CEUQ – Fedae CoDiAm, the trade union representing local employees of foreign embassies in Italy, took place in Rome on January 16. It was a meeting rich in human and civic significance, where the discussion went beyond rules and contracts to focus on people, on suspended professional lives, and on rights that have been too long compressed behind the silent walls of diplomatic missions.
Opening the proceedings was the new Secretary General of Fedae – CoDiAm, Simone Gentile, who in his introductory report outlined with firmness and deep emotional involvement the core of the union’s struggle: finally providing the category with a true National Collective Labour Agreement. A contract that fully recognizes the dignity of “local staff” workers and enshrines the full application of Italian labour law, without grey areas or arbitrary exceptions.
“We need strong unity among employees,” Gentile declared, “because only together can we demand what is rightfully ours: respect for constitutional rights, starting with the fundamental right to trade union representation, which is still denied today in some embassies.” His words resonated as a heartfelt appeal, but also as a promise of commitment: Fedae CoDiAm will act as a bridge, a safeguard, and a guarantor in the dialogue between embassies and the competent ministries, to build best practices and put an end to every form of abuse or restriction of rights.
A long and courageous path was recalled by Dr. Sergio Giangregorio, Secretary General of the Public Function and Deputy Vice President of CEUQ – European Confederation of Executives, who retraced the key stages of a struggle carried forward over the years, stressing the need to broaden the scope of representation in order to strengthen bargaining power and give a voice to those who have too often remained invisible.
Providing legal substance to this hope was Attorney Angelo Calandrini, head of the union’s legal office, who clearly illustrated the legal strategies already successfully adopted in defending workers’ rights, guaranteeing full availability to act promptly on future critical issues.
Equally incisive was the contribution of Dr. Luigi Blasi, chartered accountant and tax expert of Fedae CoDiAm, who reviewed the work carried out over the years, delving into the complex fiscal and social security technicalities—essential tools for building comprehensive and modern protection for the category.
Also significant was the presence of Dr. Giovanni Bernardi, Confedir – CEUQ Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who assured full cooperation with Fedae CoDiAm’s initiatives, reaffirming a key principle: reciprocity. The same rules, the same rights, and the same protections that MAECI applies to contract staff must also apply to local employees of foreign embassies in Italy, in full respect of labour policies.
Concluding the meeting was the address by Dr. Stefano Giustiniani, an iconic figure and point of reference of the Cultural Association of Employees of Diplomatic Missions in Italy (DIMIDI). His words, dense with memory and civic responsibility, reminded everyone that the protection of workers is not a concession, but a legal and constitutional duty.
The presence of labour consultant Dr. Michele Cilli further confirmed the technical and professional solidity of the path undertaken, while the numerous consulates connected by videoconference testified to widespread and irreversible attention to the issue. Also connected was the President of Fedae – CoDiAm, Pierluigi Proietti, forced to be absent for health reasons, along with the historic Secretary of the Union, Orazio Ruggiero, now Honorary President.
The General Assembly of CEUQ – Fedae CoDiAm thus concluded under the banner of unity, competence, and determination. The regulation of foreign representations in Italy must be renewed in line with legality, reciprocity, and the full application of Italian labour law.
From this gathering emerges not only a platform of demands, but a commitment: defending the fundamental rights of workers means defending the dignity of work, the Constitution, and the very principle of justice on which democratic coexistence is founded.
From Rome comes a clear message: the time for waiting is over—it is time for social justice.
