The Italian government has signed a decree on the cancellation of vouchers issued as payment for temporary work in order to avoid a referendum on their future use.

The law was signed by Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.  A referendum was originally scheduled for 28 May which would have addressed the issue of the use of vouchers. The vouchers were originally meant to fight the illegal employment of seasonal farm labourers, but were later used widely for all temporary workers.

“We cancelled those norms, because we understand that Italy does not need the election campaign on that issue in the upcoming months," Gentiloni said at a press conference.

Gentiloni also said that the government will use this time to work out regulations for temporary work and solutions for related problems that were not solved through the vouchers.

The voucher system is used to pay for services rendered once or temporarily, especially for seasonal jobs. The vouchers, worth €10 each, have been used by companies and households to pay casual and part-time workers.

Trade unions and labour law experts have criticised the voucher system for infringing upon the rights of workers and promoting an underground economy.