Gianna Fracassi of the Cgil union said the only economic policy intervention it featured was a cut of around three billion euros in the labour tax-wedge for lower earners, but said this was "minimal.
"The DEF is not up to the challenge of the moment that the country is going through," Fracassi told a joint session of the House and Senate budget committees.
"There is a lack of structural responses to limit prices, support incomes from labour and pensions, including via fiscal policy, and to support social inclusion."
She also complained that reform of the pension system has been "postponed for the umpteenth time.
"Our opinion cannot fail to be negative," she concluded.
Cisl's Ignazio Ganga argued that the blueprint was "too defensive", saying the union expected "a more decisive, expansive push to regain more growth".
Uil lamented the failure to impose new taxes on extraordinary profits or to devote money to renew collective contracts in the public sector and invest in the health system.
ANSA
