Companies-unions, agreement on contracts and representation. Easier renewals and inflation recovery

After a long negotiation lasting almost 18 hours, the hypothesis of a framework agreement on representation, contractual structures, wages and the contents of collective bargaining was signed between CGIL, CISL, UIL and 13 employers' associations, from Confindustria to Confcommercio, from artisans to cooperatives. The chapters on health and safety, training and participation complete the agreement.

Easier renewals and inflation recovery

On the basis of the agreement, the individual collective agreements will have to provide for a periodic check, annual or biennial, to guarantee the adjustment of wages based on Ipca Nei inflation (net of imported energy). A mechanism already present, among others, in the contract for metalworkers and chemists. The agreement also includes the definition of economic coverage in the case of expired contracts and the times to be respected for renewing contracts upon expiration: the platforms must be presented six months before expiration, the response within one month and the negotiation opens immediately.

The issue of representation concerns both unions and businesses. For trade unions, the system for measuring and certifying representation is based on the mix of members and votes (as already happens in the public sector).

For companies, the qualitative criteria are indicated, including the historicity of the organization, and the quantitative one which refers to Inps-Uniemens data.

The negotiation for a new framework agreement on the contractual system and representation between CGIL, CISL and UIL and the thirteen employers' associations - in addition to Confindustria and Confcommercio there are Agci, Casartigiani, Claai, Cna, Confapi, Confartigianato, Confcommercio, Confcooperative, Confesercenti, Confetra, Confservizi and Legacoop - started at the end of last July. The last agreement on the matter dates back to the 2018 Factory Pact, then reached by CGIL, CISL, UIL and Confindustria.

The discussion, which began in Viale dell'Astronomia around 12.30 and ended at 5.30 this morning, saw a long non-stop, between plenary and restricted sessions, with the aim of finding an agreement on the issues of work, representation, safety and contracts, and thus closing the negotiations started last July.

Present for the unions were the three general secretaries of CGIL, CISL and UIL, Maurizio Landini, Daniela Fumarola and Pierpaolo Bombardieri. For Confindustria, the vice president for labor and industrial relations Maurizio Marchesini and the leaders of 12 employers' associations: Agci, Casartigiani, Claai, Cna, Confapi, Confartigianato, Confcommercio, Confcooperative, Confesercenti, Confetra, Confservizi and Legacoop.

"It is a founding agreement, an act of responsibility towards the country. The first result is in the pay slips. The contracts are renewed upon expiry: the platforms arrive six months in advance, the response within a month, and the negotiation opens immediately. If prices rise more than expected, the difference is recovered with periodic checks and remains acquired. When the renewal is late, a mandatory protection linked to the recovery of inflation is triggered. It is not indexation, it is bargaining: postponing will no longer be beneficial to anyone". These are the words of the general secretary of the CISL Daniela Fumarola, at the end of the meeting.

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