Italy: Eni signs unitary agreement with unions to revive its Gela refinery in Sicily

On July 19, Eni signed, with the RSUs and the local structures of the Filctem-CGIL, Femca-Cisl and Uiltec-Uil unions, an agreement for the restructuring of its Gela refinery, imposed by the structural crisis in the industry, in overcapacity, which is harder in Italy than in the rest of Europe.  The Gela site notably accumulated losses, which now account for 1/3rd of the total losses of Eni’s refining system.  That’s where the plan to review the site’s industrial model came from, aiming for the return of competitiveness and profitability.  To do it, the company has planned an investment plan of nearly €700 million between 2013 and 2017.  The agreement signed with the trade unions provides for the maintenance of 90 percent of current employees in the plan to turn this site into an “advanced, innovative technological pole,” and voluntary leaves or transfers to another structure of the group for the remaining 10 percent.  (Ref.  130502)
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

The plan. The agreement determines the revival strategy for the refinery, in line with the agreement on “development and competitiveness for a new industrial relations system” of May 26, 2011 (see article No. 110373), where the signing parties had defined the strategy to face crises, save sites and lessen restructurings’ impact on employment. By 2017, the plan aims to achieve an “economically strong and even more eco-friendly and region-conscious” structure, turning it into an “advanced and

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
France: Ministry of Labour unveils plan to accelerate the rollout of AI
On 22 September, the French Ministry of Labour presented a plan named Impulsion IA 2027 aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI by companies and employees. It contains 12 measures applicable from...
Germany: major day of union action in the automotive industry ahead of collective bargaining
A few weeks before the start of collective bargaining in the German metalworking sector, the IG Metall trade union mobilised nearly 175,000 workers across more than 200 industrial sites on 21...
22 September 2026
UK: clothing retailer Next allowed on appeal to pay warehouse workers more than store staff
The news. On 7 September 2026, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in favour of clothing chain Next, which pays warehouse staff more than store staff. At first instance, the Leeds tribunal had...
21 September 2026
Denmark: government seeks to temporarily maintain early retirement age at 64
The news. On 12 September, the Danish government confirmed that the age limit for early retirement (“tidlig pension”) will remain at 64 for individuals born between 1963 and 1965, for...
21 September 2026
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Italy: Enel signs agreement to manage the effects of AI on work
An agreement signed at the end of July by the electricity company Enel (31,000 employees) and the unions Filctem-Cgil, Flaei-Cisl, and Uiltec is pioneering in the Italian energy sector. It aims to...
7 September 2026
2
Italy: artificial Intelligence on the menu of Barilla’s new company agreement
Prior consultation with trade unions on innovations related to artificial intelligence, strengthened training, and progress on parenthood: these are the main new features of the agreement signed...
2 September 2026
3
France: final document on the work of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference
After six months of discussions between French social partners, the guarantors of the Labour, Employment and Pensions Conference submitted the conclusions of the discussions to the Prime Minister...
17 September 2026
4
Germany: a high-tension start to the social and political year
The German government must finalize its major reforms (pension funding, corporate competitiveness, and labor law) while the chancellor’s popularity hits an all-time low and three regional...
5
Germany: working time dispute between Mercedes and the IG Metall Union
The news. At the beginning of September, Mercedes-Benz asked employee representatives and the IG Metall union to agree to an increase in the weekly working time from 35 to 40 hours, without any...
16 September 2026
6
Sweden: IF Metall union forced to end industrial dispute with Tesla
The news. After three years of conflict, the Swedish union IF Metall announced it would suspend its strike actions against Tesla starting Wednesday, August 19, after the American automaker...