(ZENIT News / Rome, 01.21.2026).- A new survey conducted among employees of the Holy See and the Vatican City State paints a portrait of widespread frustration, institutional fatigue, and a growing call for transparency and merit-based governance within one of the world’s most singular workplaces.
The poll, carried out between mid-September 2025 and early January 2026, is the first representative survey ever conducted among Vatican staff. It was organized by the Associazione Dipendenti Laici Vaticani (ADLV), an internal employees’ association that functions de facto as a union, though without formal recognition. Its findings confirm, with statistical precision, grievances that the ADLV has voiced for years, often to little effect, particularly during the later phase of Pope Francis’ pontificate.
A total of 250 employees responded to the questionnaire, roughly 80 percent of whom are members of the ADLV. That figure is striking when set against the broader context: the Vatican employs approximately 4,200 people, most of whom remain outside the association. Fear of retaliation is widely cited as the primary reason. In the Vatican system, traditional trade unions do not exist, nor is the right to strike permitted, on the grounds that all employees participate in the common mission of the Pope and the Church.
At the heart of the survey lies a profound sense of disconnection between employees and leadership. Nearly three quarters of respondents, 73.9 percent, describe a clear gap between workers and their superiors, typically office heads, prefects, or senior clerics who are often cardinals or bishops. Only 12.8 percent report satisfaction with this relationship. Even more telling is the perception of how leaders are chosen: 71.6 percent believe that those in charge were not selected through transparent procedures or based on a clear professional track record.
This disconnect translates into everyday workplace realities. More than 75 percent of respondents say that human resources are poorly allocated, undervalued, and insufficiently motivated. A similar proportion, 75.8 percent, argue that initiative, merit, and accumulated experience are not rewarded. For many, the issue is not merely inefficiency but injustice. Over 56 percent report having suffered unfair treatment or humiliating behavior from their superiors, a figure that raises particular concern given that Vatican law does not formally recognize mobbing or workplace harassment as a specific offense.
The sense of vulnerability extends to rights and long-term security. Roughly 73.4 percent of respondents perceive favoritism, unequal treatment, and uncertainty about the protection of their rights, including pension entitlements. These anxieties are sharpened by structural decisions taken in recent years. One of the most frequently cited grievances is the suspension of the biennial salary increment, abolished in 2021 as part of austerity measures aimed at addressing the Holy See’s budget deficit. While intended as a cost-saving measure, the move has had lasting consequences for employees’ pensions and end-of-service benefits, known as the TFR, fueling resentment and insecurity.
When asked to assess the impact of labor reforms introduced over the past decade, the verdict is largely negative. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed say the changes have brought no concrete benefits to employees, instead resulting in tighter controls and restrictions. More than 79 percent believe that too little is invested in staff training, a shortfall that contrasts sharply with the Vatican’s frequent rhetorical emphasis on human dignity and the value of work.
Yet the survey is not merely an exercise in complaint. It also points toward possible paths forward. A strong majority of respondents express confidence in the ADLV, with over 71 percent saying they would turn to the association in the event of a labor dispute, compared with just 10 percent who would approach the Vatican’s Labor Office, the ULSA. Nearly three quarters see direct dialogue between the ADLV and dicastery leadership as the most effective way to resolve conflicts, suggesting a desire for mediation rather than confrontation.
The arrival of Pope Leo XIV has introduced a cautious note of hope. According to the ADLV, early gestures from the new pontificate have been received positively: prompt attention to the Labor Tribunal, the reinstatement of the conclave bonus that had previously been abolished, and signals of openness to a shared path of dialogue. For many employees, these moves are modest but symbolically significant, hinting at a possible change in tone after years of strained relations.
Perhaps the most revealing section of the survey is the one addressed directly, albeit indirectly, to the Pope. Beyond calls for salary adjustments, family support, or fair productivity bonuses, employees articulate a deeper, ethical demand. They ask to be treated not as expendable numbers but as persons, to be heard, respected, and protected with dignity. Phrases such as “to give workers a voice,” “to safeguard with dignity,” and even “to love staff as one’s neighbor” recur in the responses, echoing the Church’s own social teaching back to its institutional heart.
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