Italy
Background information on industrial relations in Italy
- 17 May 2012
Italy: CNEL discusses issue of gender gap in employmentOn 2 February 2012, a meeting regarding the problems facing Italian women workers was hosted by the National Council for Economic Affairs and Labour. The speakers described the gap the persists in employment, salary and career opportunities between women and men. Despite advanced equal opportunities legislation, women are discriminated against both culturally and in the workplace, earn lower wages than men, and are also more likely to be over-qualified for the work they do.
- 16 May 2012
Italy: Groundbreaking verdict for asbestos victimsA trial described as the biggest health and safety case ever heard in a European court ended on 1 February 2012 after almost three years of hearings. The Court of Turin sentenced two executives from the asbestos manufacturer Eternit S.p.A. to 16 years each in prison and ordered them to pay damages of €95 million. They were found guilty of causing an environmental disaster through their negligence and of knowingly failing to introduce adequate health and safety measures.
- 24 Apr 2012
Italy: Italy: Employment and Industrial Relations in the Hotels and Restaurants sectorThe hotels and restaurant sector is an important component of the Italian economy. The sector has been severely hit by the recent economic slowdown with a drop of 15% in turnover in 2009. In this framework, the sectoral social partners have stressed the importance to support sectoral adaptability and ensure the availability of the skills needed by firms. Industrial relations in hotels and restaurant are carried out within the broader boundaries of the tourism sector.
- 05 Apr 2012
Italy: Italy: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the insurance sectorThere are seven trade union organisations and two employer associations in the Italian insurance sector: The National Association of Insurance Enterprises (ANIA) and The Italian Association of Assistance Societies (AISA). The AISA has five member companies that are also members of the ANIA, which represents nearly all the companies in the sector. There was an economic upturn in the sector in 2009, following a drop in 2008. This improvement was due to a considerable increase in life premiums (+47%) and a profit of almost EUR 4 billion. Thanks to the positive relations between the partners, there are numerous bilateral bodies and important trilateral funds in the sector.
- 28 Mar 2012
Italy: Italy: the representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the paper sectorThe Italian paper industry has seen a sharp drop in demand over the last few years due to an increase in the use of on-line products, international competition and the use of alternative materials for packaging. This situation has worsened over the last two years because of the economic crisis and representative organisations have asked the government to support the sector. However, they have received little response from either the present or past governments. Trade union representativeness is particularly high in the paper mills and lower in the small and medium-sized enterprises. The representativeness of employer organisations in the sector is quite low. Working relationships are regulated by two national collective agreements, one of which is specific to the sector.
- 21 Mar 2012
Italy: Fincantieri to cut 1,200 jobs in restucturing planAt the end of December 2011, Italy’s state-controlled shipbuilder, Fincantieri, and the unions, Fim-Cisl, Uilm-Uil, Ugl and Failms-Cisal, reached agreement on the company's restructuring programme. However, the largest sectoral trade union, the Fiom-Cgil, refused to sign the agreement because 1,200 jobs will be cut. The future of two of the firm’s eight production plants is also unclear. Fincantieri workers have organised national protests against the programme.
- 12 Mar 2012
Italy: New rules for Expo 2015 building sitesIn 2015 the city of Milan will host the 2015 Universal Exposition and its coordinating, organising and management body will be Expo 2015 SpA. On 10 January 2012, representatives of the local council of Milan, Expo 2015 SpA and the social partners signed an agreement establishing health and safety rules for workers at the Expo 2015 building sites. The agreement also aims to clamp down on irregular work and combat the infiltration of contruction work by organised crime syndicates.
- 12 Mar 2012
Italy: New measures to tackle undeclared work in agricultureAt the end of 2011, the Puglia Region in southern Italy introduced innovative measures to tackle the problem of undeclared work in the agricultural sector. This sector has the highest rate of undeclared work in the country, and there is also a worrying amount of exploitation of foreign workers. The measures, following a union initiative, were adopted after demonstrations and strikes by foreign workers in summer 2011, and will be overseen by the social partners.
- 07 Mar 2012
Italy: Italy: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the sea fisheries sectorThe marine fishing sector is of limited economic importance in Italy. Annual profits total little more than €1.8 million, approximately 0.1% of GDP. Traditionally, the sector has been regulated by a single national collective agreement. The organisations which undersign this agreement (FEDERPESCA, FAI-CISL, FLAI CGIL, UILAPESCA-UIL), together with the cooperative organisations, are considered to be the most representative actors in the sector. There are various sectoral NCAs but the one signed by FEDERPESCA is the most important and acts as a point of reference for the others.
- 27 Feb 2012
Italy: Rise in occupational welfare benefit schemesThe financial crisis has led to social and economic needs clashing with Italy’s public expenditure cutbacks. This is causing widespread debate about occupational welfare benefits provided by employers that complement or replace the public welfare system. Political actors and social partners are having to operate in the midst of this turmoil while industrial relations play a crucial role in the promotion of occupational welfare benefits through collective bargaining.
- 10 Feb 2012
Italy: Fiat leaves Confindustria and signs new company agreementWith effect from 1 January 2012, Fiat withdrew from all existing collective agreements and left the Confindustria representation system, which governs Italian industrial relations. In December 2011, the Federation of Metalworkers (Fiom) left negotiations with Fiat on a new group-level agreement when Fiat declared the basis for talks would be the Pomigliano agreement of 29 December 2010, which Fiom had refused to sign. The new first level agreement was signed on 13 December 2011.
- 10 Jan 2012
Italy: Unions slam new law allowing opt-outs on labour rulesRules governing workers’ terms and conditions have been relaxed under an act passed by the Italian parliament in September 2011. The act, intended to ensure the stability of public finance and to foster economic growth, includes significant changes for labour relations. It means that local and company-level agreements can opt out of terms agreed by law and in national collective agreements on matters including working hours, contracts and the introduction of new technology.
- 09 Jan 2012
Italy: Intersectoral agreement on representativeness heals riftOn 28 June 2011 an intersectoral agreement was signed by Italy’s major union confederations Cgil, Cisl and Uil and employers’ federation Confindustria. It introduces new rules on the certification of representativeness for participation in industry-wide bargaining at national level, and on the validity of company deals. It also heals the rift created between the social partners in 2009 when Cgil refused to sign an agreement on the reform of the bargaining structure.