Italy: Confindustria and the trade unions renew talks over collective bargaining reform

On 04 July, the social partners are set to meet and discuss representativeness of unions and especially employers’ body (given the latter’s fragmentation), employment policies, and company welfare policies. Although the Italian negotiation model had appeared deadlocked, clear changes have come about in recent months including innovative elements being introduced in national collective agreements that have recently been renewed in some key sectors, and company agreements which are taking advantage of tax incentives are also addressing new topics such as smart working and welfare at work.
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Bolstered by the new calmer social climate, Confindustria President, Vincenzo Boccia reached out to the Cgil, Cisl, and Uil confederations to propose renewing the process of high-level dialogue. Reforming the collective bargaining model is expected to take central stage at the meeting on 04 July whilst discussions at the technical level that have been ongoing for the past year continue to stumble.

National agreements proliferating although often suboptimal. Over recent years Italy has witnessed

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