Muslim demand for prayer breaks gets result in Italy

The Italian union FIT-CISL and a parcel despatch company, Essevi, at Milan's Linate airport have agreed new working-time arrangements which allow the largely Muslim workforce breaks for prayer.

The agreement, reached at the end of last month, provides for a 30-minute break every six hours or a 15-minute break every four hours. The choice between the two depends on the level of work and is agreed with the supervisor.

The union has pushed for these arrangements because of demands from the Muslim employees, who account for 90 of the total workforce of 160 (most of them porters).

However, Dario Ballotta, the union official who reached the agreement, made it clear that it is not just Muslims who will benefit. "There is a demand for a break for all workers", he explained, "and as very many of them are Muslim they are asking to use it for prayer." Other workers "can make use of the break however they think best".

For Ballotta the agreement is to be seen within the "context of the rights and duties which relate to every employee, irrespective of their nationality and religion".