They are overused but in shape. The new proletarians work in fitness

Twelve Euros pre-tax per hour. 8 Euros for private lessons. Whether it is a workday or a holiday it does not matter. No paid holidays and a lot of crossed-fingers against unexpected accidents, because for them there is no coverage. Refunds (technically, they aren’t wages) monthly which hardly arrive to 1,100 Euros, annual  incomes that don’t exceed, not even with  overtime, 11 thousand Euros. They are collaborators for the sport amateur association, the new fitness proletarians, mainly they are gymnastic instructors and physiotherapists with degrees who spend their life in the gym “teaching” health toothers.

However, they do not get sick because they cannot have social security contributions and, if they are women, motherhood becomes a problem. Many of them choose to be privately insured with a minimum charge of around 800 euros per year.

It must be clear, it is completely legal and legitimate because there is a State law which facilitates this regime. Amateur sports clubs, being no-profit, never sail in good economic waters and then the legislature, with the exemption from contributions for reimbursements that do not exceed 7,500 euros, has decided to help them.

The problem, however, is another, because in some cases, these organizations are for-profit and they slip through the law, by exploiting benefits that are not for them. "We are a cross section of society in which we live” says   Fausto Origlio, chairman of the Provincial Committee of Coni “and therefore it may also be reasonable to assume that there are structures that apparently operate a business, but in fact they perform another, that is, for profit and then undertake tax avoidance and evasion, doing an enormous damage to the sport. "

An amateur sport association, in order to be regarded as such and amenable to low taxation levels, must follow the following two steps: to present a statute that contains the basic elements provided by Coni, first and foremost the lack of profit, and to ask to be added to the register of clubs that is transmitted to the Revenue Office for the various checks. "I assure you” Origlio continues, “The Financial Police intervene, but as always everything is left to the structure of the system and those who take advantage of this situation ask the question: how likely is that they come and catch me? It is a particular area, so controls focus on other areas. We, as well as Coni, are keeping our eyes open. In fact, I put a further step because I want amateur sport clubs to have a young activity in order to draw the funds of 5 per mille (contributions from tax payers). In most cases the sport associations are real and serious, made up of people who give their passion and resources. When I hear some stories I feel mortified and offended because it is not fair that young workers are exploited in a vulgar way in an environment that has instead inspiring and good values."

In fact, the phenomenon of insecurity is widespread in gyms and fitness centers, regardless of whether they are for profit or not, as explains Francesco Vazzana, Secretary of Nidil, the category of atypical workers in the CGIL. "Every day” says the labour leader “many of these workers come to us with contracts that, even when done in a transparent manner, trace occasional collaborations. This means that employers have an additional gain because they avoid the normal contributions, while the employees have no guarantees. Generally they address themselves to the union when they have a specific problem such as, for example, maternity. Unfortunately, they live their condition of exploitation individually, although they are several thousands in our province. They should be more supportive of each other. "

Dusting off an old Marxist concept, the secretary of Nidil emphasizes that there is "a lack of class consciousness." And it takes lots of practice to get it back.