There was great support today for the first bankers' strike in 13 years. According to the Uilca and Cisl trade unions, over 90% of the female workers took part in the mobilization and almost all the branches remained closed. “An adherence even exceeding expectations”, these are the words of Massimo Masi, general secretary of Uilca.
Today many large Italian cities, among which Ravenna stands out where the local Cassa di Risparmio is based, of which Antonio Patuelli is president, have seen the mobilization of many employees after the unilateral termination of the contract. The ABI, the banking association, formalized the early cancellation of the national contract for the sector, the expiry of which was instead set for June 2014, citing the profitability crisis in the sector, the need to strengthen capital imposed by the competent authorities and an increase of the working life of employees with outdated skills.
Now the banks are asking the ABI to retrace its steps after the early cancellation of the contract by over 300.000 credit workers with eight months on the natural expiry which also prevented the opening of a discussion on how to maintain the solidarity fund of the sector which must be adapted to the new rules of the Fornero Law and which is about to expire.
"We strongly ask for the confirmation of this social safety net, fundamental for the category, thanks to which it has been possible to manage profound corporate reorganization and restructuring processes in a sustainable way, without burdening the community", said Masi.
“I think the unions are aware of the problems that concern the banks, they are perfectly aware of our issues and our problems. We don't want to wait until June 30 for the contract because it would be too late”, said the vice president of ABI Francesco Micheli Micheli on the microphones of Radio Rai. And he added that early cancellation means wanting to get "at the table right away, to completely re-discuss a contract which, in the opinion of the banks at the moment, both from a regulatory and an economic point of view, is unanimously considered unsustainable".
The fear of the unions, supported by the industrial plans of many banks and by the same words repeated yesterday by the governor of Bank of Italy on World Savings Day, is that the rebalancing of the institutions' accounts necessarily involves further cuts in personnel costs.
