Healthcare workers are entitled to shift allowances even during holidays, and meal vouchers must be provided to those who work more than six hours, regardless of the type of shift.
This is established by two recent orders from the Court of Cassation (no. 25528 and no. 25525 of 2025), which could pave the way for new wage rights for thousands of workers in the sector.
In the wake of the rulings, the Fials union has called on the Region and healthcare providers to immediately implement the decisions. Specifically, it demands that salaries be adjusted to include vacation pay, and that meal vouchers be paid uniformly, without differentiating between those who work day and night.
The two ordinances reinforce a long-standing position : wages cannot be cut during holidays, as this would discourage the very right to rest, which is protected at the European level as a health and safety measure. Likewise, those who work shifts longer than six hours are entitled to a meal, regardless of the hours.
These principles were already present in previous rulings, but they now become binding on public employers, with potential repercussions on the budgets of healthcare companies.
"The Supreme Court's decision is not only a legal victory, but a call to respect those who keep the healthcare system afloat," FIALS said in a statement.
The union is demanding not only immediate salary adjustments, but also payment of arrears and clear communication on the timing and methods of implementation.
She also emphasizes that the failure to recognize these rights contributes to the discontent of many professionals, increasingly attracted by better working conditions abroad. "It's time to stop losing nurses and technicians trained in Sardinia to work in Germany, Switzerland, or the Nordic countries. If we don't treat them with dignity, they'll all leave."
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)
