On 19 December 2019, the Italian Banking Association – Abi and the trade unions (Fabi, First Cisl, Fisac Cgil, Uilca and Unisin) have signed the Draft Agreement for the renewal of the National Collective Agreement on Credit (the “Draft Agreement“), which expired on 31 December 2018.
The Collective Agreement, as renewed, will be valid until 31 December 2022.
The Steering Committee
Among the innovations introduced by the Draft Agreement is the establishment of a “Steering Committee” on digitization. The Steering Committee is composed of a Joint Committee made up of the members of the Casl – the Trade Union and Labour Affairs Committee – of the Italian Banking Association and the general secretaries of all the trade unions. The new Committee is entrusted with the task of monitoring and analysing the changes resulting from new technologies. The aim is to keep the collective agreement up to date with the changes that digitization constantly brings to work methodology.
New economic developments
An standard increase of EUR 190 on the average figure with seven levels of seniority has been envisaged. The beneficiaries will be paid the increase in three “tranches”, i.e. on 1 January 2020 – EUR 80, on 1 January 2021 – EUR 70 and on 1 January 2022 – the remaining EUR 40.
New contractual developments
The Draft Agreement also provides for a number of new features affecting the contractual aspect. Specifically, the starting salary for new recruits has been abolished. This means that the value of the remuneration will be equalised for the same job and classification.
In addition, young people who are the recipients of an apprenticeship contract will have a classification within a maximum of 18 months of signing.
The structure of the levels of classification is modified. In the previous version, 13 levels of classification were envisaged, but following the renewal the two levels of the two lowest professional areas were merged, reducing the number of levels envisaged to 9 but leaving the remuneration substantially unchanged.
Legislative Decree 81/2017, which regulates “smart working“, has been fully implemented, thus guaranteeing greater organisational flexibility to all addressees.
The mileage distances related to staff mobility remain unchanged but the age limit for workers’ consent is raised.
It should also be noted that, as part of disciplinary proceedings, the term assigned to the employee to provide the justifications is determined within 7 days after receipt of the letter of complaint. Within that period the employee may request access to specific documents in writing, relative to the facts object of the dispute, which is necessary for the full exercise of the right of defence, without prejudice to the limitations laid down in the legislation on the protection of personal data. The term is interrupted with effect from the date of the request and starts again from the date on which the company gives a response to the employee.
Conclusions
The new National Collective Bargaining Agreement, aims to strengthen the social pact between companies operating in the banking sector and workers, so that, in order to maintain this objective, the agreement on Commercial Policies and Labour Organization signed on 8 February 2017 will enter into the contract.
The floor now belongs to the workers who will have to vote on the Draft Agreement in the assemblies, which can start on 6 February 2020 and end on 13 March.
