Reduce working hours for equal pay. So Italy is also trying with Intesa Sanpaolo to lead the way. The proposal of the institute led by the CEO Carlo Messina was presented to the unions (Fabi, Fisac Cgil, First Cisl, Uilca and Unisin) with which a "three days” of negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement as early as this week. The discussion also includes several chapters in addition to the short week of work, like it smart working.
The project emerged during the assembly of Turin Industrial Union in which the trend of the economy was discussed. “We are faced with an undoubtedly complex scenario for this quarter and for the first of 2023, – said Messina – but any forecaster, both private and public, today sees a progressive return to growth from 2024”. The CEO of the group underlined the difference between "the current situation and that triggered by the pandemic, dominated by uncertainty: at the end of 2023 there will be a tendency to return to a path of normality".
Short working week: how the Intesa proposal works
The idea is to raise working hours from 7,5 to 9 on a daily basis, so as to leave the total amount unchanged, including remuneration. Thus allowing those who work to focus their business on 4 days and to have so a day off, for a total weekly performance of 36 hours compared to the 37,5 traditionally performed.
The choice of the "free" day, at present, could be voluntary and there would be the possibility of varying the days worked during the week, Monday to Friday, in agreement with your manager. “The authorization – explains the bank in the documentation – can only be granted compatibly with the company's technical, organizational and production requirements. Requests made may receive a response, both positive and negative, even by the end of the third month following the request". All this for the same salary, as provided for by the national collective agreement of the Abi banks.
However, the proposal is not for everyone but only for employees of the offices and not of the branches. While the unions would like it to be extended to all workers.
Bank contract 2022
The negotiation refers to national collective agreement of Abi banks and in article 104 which concerns the weekly timetable and its articulation. The 2022 banking contract provides for ordinary working hours of 37 hours and 30 minutes, from Monday to Friday, with the exception of some provisions contained in the following 6 paragraphs. The paragraph number 4 explains, for example, that the weekly working time can be set at 36 hours, exceeding the right to a reduction in the annual 23 hours or 30 minutes per week of the hour bank, if organized in the following ways:
• over 4 days (for 9 hours of work);
• over 6 days (for 6 hours of work);
• from Monday afternoon to Saturday morning;
• including Sunday;
• in shifts;
• if the daily timetable ends after 19:15.
The short working week in the world
The “short” working week is a growing phenomenon around the world. in the rest ofEurope the idea is increasingly appreciated and tested. L think tanks "4 day week global", born in UK on the initiative of Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart managed to attract more attention in countries such as States United, Australia, New Zealand and, in Europe, Spain. Intesa was inspired by this model.
While in Belgium the reduced working week is became law: the weekly working hours will remain unchanged, but will be spread over a smaller number of days. Workers will be able to ask to do the 4 working hours per week in 38 days with a period of six month trial.
