Campania, the OSS competition has been approved: written tests from November 3rd to 7th for 1274 positions.

Naples – A turning point long-awaited by thousands of aspiring healthcare workers: the Campania Region has given the green light to the competition for 1274 healthcare workers positions, which had been postponed for a month due to concerns about irregularities and fraud, as reported by Governor Vincenzo De Luca himself.

The written test, involving over 25 candidates, will be held from November 3rd to 7th in two daily sessions, for both Area 1 (led by ASL Napoli 1 Centro) and Area 2 (led by ASL Salerno). This outcome, according to the CISL Civil Service union, rewards a "great battle for justice" tenaciously waged against bureaucratic delays.

The suspension of the tender, originally scheduled for September 22nd to 26th, had sparked a wave of protests among precarious workers in the sector, already affected by chronic shortages in hospital staffing in Campania.

"We want the test date now," thundered Mauro Giuliattini, regional regent of the CISL Fp Campania union, just a few weeks ago, ready to launch a regional mobilization if the government hadn't acted by the end of October. These words translate into triumph today: "We have won a great battle for justice, which we have waged alone, pressuring the government every day to the point of threatening to call for a labor mobilization," Giuliattini exulted in a statement released this morning.

"Finally, the 25 candidates will be able to participate in the selection process for positions in Campania's healthcare facilities." But the result goes beyond the numbers: it's a breath of fresh air for hundreds of workers who have sweated on the front lines during the pandemic.

The CISL highlights how the competition protects the 500 in particular Health Care who, hired on fixed-term contracts in Campania hospitals during the Covid era, had been fired upon their expiration and were now at risk of losing their NASPI unemployment benefit.

Thanks to a 50% reserve of positions reserved for those who have performed OSS activities in recent years – as required by Article 1, paragraph 268, letter b) of Law 234/2021 – these workers will finally be able to secure permanent positions.

"This is a major achievement that will finally help increase staffing shortages everywhere and accelerate immediate responses to citizens' healthcare needs." The competition, announced by the Campania Region's Directorate General for Health Protection, represents a key step in the plan to strengthen the regional healthcare system, plagued by years of understaffing and the post-pandemic emergency.

The written exam will consist of multiple-choice questions on subjects such as basic care, hygiene, and social and health legislation, while the oral exam—to be scheduled later—will assess practical and motivational skills.

The two territorial areas will divide candidates based on residence: Naples and the northern provinces for Area 1, Salerno and the South for Area 2, with exam locations distributed across hospitals and local health authorities (ASL) to ensure a smooth transition. This is not just a union victory, but a sign of normalcy regained in a sector where hiring too often stalls amid appeals and suspicions of wrongdoing.

De Luca, who had blocked the approval process due to the "risk of fraud," thus avoided a head-on clash with the trade unions, but shadows remain: internal investigations and anonymous reports had already led to checks on the legitimacy of the applications.

For Giuliattini and the CISL, however, the important thing is to look ahead: "This competition is not just an opportunity for temporary workers, but a boost for a Regional Health Service that must effectively respond to the needs of the people of Campania." Meanwhile, the 25 applicants—both high school graduates and former temporary workers—are sharpening their notebooks: registration has been closed for months, but the anticipation for the detailed schedule of calls is palpable.

The Region promises communications by the end of October, while theCisl He warns: "No step back, or the streets will heat up again." In Campania, where waiting lists for healthcare and assistance are as long as highway traffic jams, these 1274 hires could be the first step toward tangible relief. But the real test, as always, will be on the ground: between grueling shifts and limited resources, will the OSS be able to make a difference? The answer, starting November 3rd, will come from the exam rooms.