Gender Representation in the High-Tech Sector in Italy: The Required Alliance Between Trade Unions and Women’s Associations

Despite the steady increase in the number of women with degrees in STEM fields, in Italy the presence of women in high and medium technology industries is still limited. Moreover, women have been employed primarily as self-employed and thus face greater risks related to wage stability and eligibility for welfare services. In this scenario the actions taken in recent years by a series of women's associations founded to undermine the logic of exclusion in the hi-tech sector are particularly interesting. This chapter, starting with a qualitative analysis through in-depth interviews with the leaders of these associations and with more traditional union representatives, attempts to understand what actions have been taken and how and if coordination with trade union has taken place. The goal is to analyse if and to what extent these actions have allowed women to increase their presence and visibility within the sector. The results highlight that these forms of representation support women's empowerment, but they are less effective in improving working conditions and access to social protections. Union's actions instead remains mainly on bargaining, while companies seem to be less oriented to involve the union on issues such as training or the reshaping of discriminatory practices.