The country's economic and employment recovery is still very fragile, the labor market, despite the progress made with the Jobs Act, still presents some specific difficulties relating in particular to the entry of young people and the exit of older people following the new rules established by the Fornero Reform. In this context it takes on particular importance the future of the Italian banking system, currently engaged in a process of profound restructuring which over the years has radically changed the economic and employment prospects of the entire sector. Italy in general and banks in particular are facing a real revolution in which the link between work and bargaining becomes fundamental for facing change with adequate responses.
These were the fundamental themes dealt with during the round table held on 11 May at the ABI headquarters as part of the HR Forum 2016 on "Banks and Human Resources". The event was attended by the Presidents of the Chamber and Senate Labor Commissions Cesare Damiano and Maurizio Sacconi, the President of the Committee for Trade Union and Labor Affairs of ABI and Chief Operating Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo, Eliano Lodesani and the General Secretary of First- Cisl, Giulio Romani.
At the center of the debate is not only the bank contract approved in 2015, but also what will happen at the expiry of what has been defined as a "transitional contract" in view of the challenges awaiting Italian credit institutions, including the strong relevance of new technologies and the need to respond to requests for training and redirection of staff over 50.
Last year, after months of clashes and negotiations, Abi and the unions of Credit employees signed the contractual renewal of the sector, which will expire on 31 December 2018, containing an important achievement for workers: a wage increase of 85 euros in four years. At the same time, the seniority increases have remained unchanged, while the severance pay has been recalculated so as to be less onerous than in the past. A few weeks ago, another good news. It was included in the banking decree approved by the Council of Ministers on 29 April 2016 "the slide" through which bank exits will be facilitated. The window during which redundant workers who decide to leave their jobs voluntarily early will be able to benefit from the social safety net of the sector will increase from five to seven years. The purpose of the measure is to accompany a restructuring process due to which, according to the unions, around 20 jobs will disappear in the next 70 years (up to 23 redundancies are expected by 2018), an enormous figure which adds up to the 48 redundancies that occurred from 2000 to 2015.
Based on what has just been said, it is clear how bargaining plays a fundamental role at a time when the entire banking sector is moving towards new working models that are radically different from the past. The contract currently in force therefore represents a mix between old and new, but in view of 2018 it is important to be prepared for the appointment.
Cesare Damiano he underlined the need to "connect the notion of contractual model with the current socio-economic context". According to the President of the Labor Commission of the Chamber for the future "it is necessary to maintain a model in which the national contract and the decentralized contract go hand in hand". “The first – continued Damiano – “must perform a framework function around a business model that performs most of the tasks”. The role of the trade unions will be fundamental and, according to the Deputy, they will have to equip themselves to face the revolution represented by digital technology. Indeed, technology could change “the very notion of work for most jobs”.
Speaking of bankers, Damiano praised the mechanism through which the sector has promoted the hiring of young people through a principle of category solidarity.
The former Minister of Labour Maurice Sacconi highlighted the difficulties experienced by banks in this particular historical moment. “The way of doing banking and giving credit is under discussion”. The national contract, according to the President of the Labor Commission of Palazzo Madama, must therefore become "a protective umbrella for what all workers have in common". Before the salary, it is necessary to think of the "social protections that concern social safety nets, the second pillar of welfare between social security, health and assistance, the right to training". "We need adaptive contracts - continued the Senator of NCD - made up of social services that we have structurally detaxed".
For Secretary General of First-Cisl, Julius Romans “It would be appropriate to start thinking about the professional reconversion of XNUMX-year-old workers, supporting their consequent territorial reconversion, rather than just their "scrapping". The union must take an active part in this process, supporting training and anything else deemed useful, for the relaunch of companies and the enhancement of work”. This also in function of the technological revolution underway, which is profoundly transforming the production context.
“We must ask the Government – concluded Romani – fiscal policies that do not penalize credit, that benefit investments in the real economy to the detriment of finance. We must ask to decide support policies together, so that the sector can once again be truly at the service of the country. A shared strategy is needed”.
Emilio Lodesani instead underlines the importance of the agreements reached which “put the banking system ahead of other sectors. Now we have to sit down and talk, try to figure out where we're going and what we need." "We have to invest in our business model - continued the Chairman of the Committee for Trade Union and Labor Affairs of ABI - The challenge is now for 2018. It is clear that there are some issues to be included in the future contract that will allow us to have a 'balanced negotiated flexibility to adapt to'.
Then a joke about the Atlante fund: "The Atlante fund is a serious matter for the country" observes Lodesani "I have never seen any Italian government set up a fund to save a shoe factory as proof that our industry is crucial for the economy .”
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