A new national collective agreement for the Italian chemicals sector was signed in February 2002. The deal provides for an annual working time reduction of eight hours, an average monthly wage increase of EUR 88 over 2002-3 and the establishment of a supplementary health insurance fund, as well as
In February 2002, the Italian government and trade unions reached a general framework accord on the forthcoming renewal of national collective agreements for public sector workers. The agreement meets most trade union demands. Average wage increases have been set at 5.56% for 2002-3 and it has been
Legislation adopted in Italy 2000 made it possible for the social partners to set up intersectoral funds to finance continuing vocational training. The new funds receive the 0.3% paybill contribution levied on employers for continuing training, which formerly went to the public authorities. By
In late January 2002, Matrix, the company which runs the main Italian web portal, Virgilio, announced 83 redundancies out of its staff of 295, with the workers concerned being placed on 'mobility lists' (a scheme whereby they receive an income and measures to help them find new jobs). Workers and
Faced with the crisis in the world aviation industry, the Italian national airline, Alitalia, announced a major restructuring plan in November 2001, including large-scale workforce reductions. An agreement on the plan was reached between management, trade unions and the government in January 2001
In December 2001, the Italian-based Fiat group approved a restructuring plan aimed at addressing the difficult economic situation and the problems of its automobile division. The plan provides for an increase in share capital, the divestment of some activities and an industrial reorganisation
In late December 2001, Italy's three main trade union confederations - Cgil, Cisl and Uil - united in calling strikes in January 2002 to protest against reform laws on pensions, taxation and the labour market passed by the government.
In late October 2001, the Italian metalworkers trade unions and the management of Electrolux Zanussi signed an innovative agreement on the company's 'mobile plant' initiative - whereby it will move around Europe its entire production operation for clothes dryers. From 2002, production of dryers will
Fiom-Cgil, one of Italy's three main metalworkers' trade unions, called a one-day general strike on 16 November 2001. It is seeking a referendum among workers on the national collective agreement for metalworking which was signed by other two unions, Fim-Cisl and Uilm-Uil, in July 2001, with the
In late November 2001, negotiations between the Italian government and trade unions on the former's White Paper on the labour market broke down. The reason was that the government intends to modify, for some group of workers, the legal rules which provide for the statutory reinstatement of workers