Over the last four years, the collective bargaining grew from 75% to 87%, while that of second level remained almost unchanged, affecting only 4% of companies in 2022. The data emerged during the conference “Wage crisis and pressure on the remuneration model,” organized byInapp, the national institute for the analysis of public policies, in collaboration with the University of Sannio in Benevento.
Collective bargaining
Over the last four years, data from the 2018 and 2022 surveys indicate a significant increase in the percentage of businesses with at least one employee who declare that they have adhered to the national collective labor agreement (Ccnl). The percentage went from 75% to 87%, recording an increase of approximately 12 percentage points. However, it should be noted that these figures hide significant variations based on the sector, size and geographical location of the companies.
Le large enterprises, with more than 250 employees, show a percentage of membership of the Ccnl equal to 98%, while among those with less than 10 employees it is 84%.
Furthermore, considering the geographical position, the Northern companies have a percentage of 88% in the adoption of national collective bargaining, while those in the South and the islands drop to 86%.
Second level bargaining
As for the second level contract the situation is worse: the percentage of companies that declare they apply it increased from approximately 3,5% in 2018 to 4% in 2022. Although the percentage remains relatively low, a slight increase over the last 4 years, possibly attributable to soft policies that promote the decentralization of collective bargaining. These policies encourage the autonomous spread of second-level bargaining through economic levers, representing a modest increase in participation in this form of bargaining.
Fadda, Inapp: "Unions cover workers in large companies, don't forget the parallel realities"
“Large company size and unionization of the workforce are positive determinants of the coverage of both first and second level collective bargaining – commented the prof. Sebastian Fadda, president ofInapp – the probability of applying a second level contract increases between 10 and 14% if there is union representation in the company. It is nevertheless true that today i unions are able to cover especially the workers structured of big business (and even these are not always effective as regards the trend of real wages) but we must not forget that there is a 'parallel reality' that escapes union representation due to the fragmentation of work activities, it is enough to remember the many atypical, temporary workers engaged in the gig economy, who effectively make up that large group of working poor and who have no representation. What can be done for them?”
"Yes is much discussed in our countryintroduction of a minimum wage – concluded Fadda – but the fear of some is that once a minimum has been established by law, companies will simply pay that minimum, abandoning the collective agreement, or which if established at too high a level could render collective agreements useless. Yet, a minimum wage by law would not be a replacement wage for the wages defined by collective bargaining, but simply an insurmountable minimum threshold below which wages cannot fall, whether there is collective bargaining or not. Through the latter, trade union organizations can deploy all their strength to achieve higher wage levels. Therefore the two systems (minimum wage and collective bargaining) can coexist and reinforce each other, establishing objective parameters that have the aim of protecting all workers, without exception".
