The index of hourly contractual wages shows an increase of 0,1% compared to May and of 1,8% compared to the June 2010 figure. On average for the period January-June 2011, the index grew by 1,9% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. This is the Istat survey, which recalls that the inflation rate in June was equal to 2,7%, highlighting how the upward trend in wages was lower than that of consumer prices.
The sectors that show the greatest increases in June compared to the previous year are: military-defence (4%), law enforcement (3,7%) and fire brigade activities (3,4%). The more contained increases concern information and communication services, ministries, schools, regions and local authorities and the national health service (+0,3% in all cases).
Istat also specifies that at the end of June 34 contractual agreements are awaiting renewal, relating to 4,4 million employees (33,6%). The percentage is down on both the month (34,7%) and the previous year (35,7%). The national collective bargaining agreements in force for the economic part correspond to 66,4% of employed employees and 61,0% of the wage bill observed. 83,2% of monitored contracts are in force in the private sector, with very different shares according to economic activity: coverage is 100% for the agricultural sector, 97,4% for industry and 67,6% for private services.
Starting from January 2010 all public administration contracts have expired and will remain so in compliance with the provisions of the 2010 economic stability law which establishes the blocking of contractual and negotiating procedures for the three-year period 2010-2012. In June, among the contracts monitored by the survey, two agreements were signed, concerning the employees of the tanning companies and those of the printing companies. At the end of June, employees awaiting renewal amounted to 33,6% of the total. On average, the renewal wait for workers with expired contracts is 18,3 months.
