A message for Minister Poletti

Nowadays, Italian PhD students and postdocs cannot obtain any welfare benefits associated to unemployment at the end of their contracts. This unique situation is not shared by any other working category in our country. Italian researchers joined forces to request the extension of these welfare benefits, but the request was not considered. Furhtermore, the Minister of Employment, Mr. Poletti, defined researchers as “highly qualified students”, excluding them from workers. Our association AIRIcerca does not agree with Minister Poletti statement, and launched an initiative to increase the public awareness of the researchers’ profession. We do our job with passion, and research is our job, not our hobby.