Italian cabinet minister Gianfranco Rotondi has unleashed a storm of angry criticism by proposing that workers abandon their lunch break.

Unions have slammed the suggestion as an erosion of workers' rights and dieticians are warning of serious blood sugar problems due to the fact that many Italian workers skip breakfast.

Mr Rotondi advocated scrapping the lunch break on the grounds that it is bad for both the waistline and the economy, as well as stretching the working day unnecessarily. Many Italian employees take an hour for lunch, eating a full meal at a restaurant or company cafeteria.

In the face of such indignation, Mr Rotondi is now maintaining that he only wanted workers to have the choice as to whether or not to take a lunch break.

photo: flickr / Christine TM