Sharp reactions have been sparked in Italy by a survey from a private company producing electronic components located in the Veneto region, asking some sixty employees to indicate “which of their colleagues they would like to get fired”.

The company also suggested that employees could choose the people to be fired from among part-time workers, new hires, or those without children. Out of a total of 60 employees, only 10 responded.

The unions reacted by stressing that “this is not only a lack of respect for workers and their dignity, but also an attempt to dismantle the social fabric of a company”. The unions, meanwhile, are calling for “initiatives that are capable of uniting rather than dividing.”

The employer responded that “this is only an internal investigation to determine what the climate is within the company” and that “the market is going through a crisis, but the goal is to avoid layoffs.”