Recently, forty-nine employees of the Vatican Museums have taken a bold step by filing a class-action complaint with the Vatican administration. The complaint, which was dated April 23 and later made public, highlights the employees' demands for improved seniority, leave, and overtime benefits. This move represents a rare and public challenge to the governance of Pope Francis.
The employees' complaint also raises concerns about health and security risks faced by staff due to cost-saving measures and apparent profit-generating initiatives at the museum. These include issues such as overcrowding and a reduction in security guards to manage tourist crowds effectively.
Despite the public nature of the complaint, neither the Vatican spokesman nor Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, the president of the Vatican City State administration overseeing the museums, has provided any official response to the employees' demands.
The class-action complaint, prepared by veteran Vatican attorney Laura Sgro on behalf of the employees, emphasizes the importance of respecting the dignity of workers, citing the social teaching of the Catholic Church and Pope Francis' own calls for fair treatment of employees.
Key demands outlined in the complaint include better transparency regarding opportunities for advancement, restoration of seniority bonuses, and adherence to Italian norms concerning sick leave policies. The employees also highlighted the current requirement for full-day sick leave, rather than allowing for partial-day absences for medical reasons.
Under Vatican labor regulations, Cardinal Vérgez Alzaga has 30 days to respond to the complaint. If initial talks do not yield results, the case may proceed to the Vatican's labor office for potential reconciliation. However, employees may face challenges in seeking further recourse if the office declines to hear the case.
Notably, recent legal challenges have underscored the discrepancies between Vatican laws and European norms, particularly concerning the rights of Vatican employees. Some legal experts have suggested the possibility of taking employees' grievances to the European Court of Human Rights, despite the Vatican not being a member of the court.
The Vatican Museums, a significant revenue source for the Vatican, have faced financial strains due to the impact of COVID-19 closures and restrictions. To offset losses, the museums raised the price of a full-price ticket earlier this year to 20 euros ($21.50) from 17 euros.
