ROME. Almost 3 million and 300 thousand workers, in the public as well as in the private sector, have obtained an increase in the last 4 months. The contract machine, while inflation has picked up speed since the beginning of the year, going from +3.9 at the end of 2021 to 8% in June, is making progress with difficulty, but in any case (thanks to the pressure of the unions) it is advancing. In all, about ten renewals went through: there are rich and less rich, there are those who pay in two installments and who in 5, in several cases significant one-off payments have been agreed to recover a portion of arrears and often in addition to the money, the unions have seen improvements in terms of welfare, training, adjustments to qualifications and new rights.
The greatest
The largest, the construction contract that involves over 1 million employees, was signed at the beginning of March: an increase of 92 euros until the end of 2024, but also investments in training and safety and bonuses and incentives to encourage the entry of young people in the sector. Another million workers are hired as laborers: their contract was signed at the end of May when the sector was already in full emergency. “Out of a sense of responsibility”, increases of 72 euros were still recognized when fully operational (+ 4.7%), but in three installments, the last in June 2023.
The “richest”
The richest contracts bear the initials of the banking unions (190 euros gross recognized to the 35 thousand employees of the cooperative credit banks on their first sector agreement, 150 disbursed in August and 40 in October) and those of the trade unions and 3000 companies in the sector pharmaceutical chemical. The 210,000 workers in this sector received an average of 204 euros more divided into 5 tranches (the last, of 20 euros, will arrive in June 2025). The total amount in the three-year period will be equal to 4,750 euros, a figure of all compared to confirming that this is one of the healthiest sectors of our industry.
How much does the state pay
Important contracts also in the public sector. At the beginning of April, the Council of Ministers gave way to the state contract and that of the Defense and Security sectors. In all, 650,000 employees are affected, 225,000 employed in the ministries and central functions of the state and 430,000 in the armed forces and police services. The contract covers the three-year period 2019-2021 and will allow employees of ministries, tax agencies and non-economic public bodies to receive 105 euros, after the 20 already obtained in January, plus 1,800 euros in arrears. As for the military, police and firefighters, the agreement recognized them an average increase of 128 euros gross (including ancillary fees) which corresponds to an increase of 4.26% compared to 2018.
A “prize” to Health
Even more significant is the agreement relating to 545 thousand public health workers: for them 91 euros of average gross monthly increase (but the more than 270 thousand nurses can reach 170 euros), as well as bonuses of up to 20 thousand euros depending on the different types of assignments. An important recognition, defined by many as “due”, after two and a half years of pandemic always lived at the forefront and which also brings with it the reform of the professional system and a new classification system that simplifies responsibilities and competences.
Also in the public sphere, the 2021-2023 contract of the FS group (80 thousand employees and 110 euro increase and 500 euro one-off) signed at the end of March, that of 115 thousand local public transport employees made in photocopy (110 euro increase and 500 arrears paid in two installments) signed 15 days later and that of the 100,000 workers of the environmental services who received a 121 euro increase for the three-year period 2022/2024.
The smallest…
The smallest contract signed in recent months is that of Confindustria Radio Tv which involves a total of 5000 employees (all national TVs, radios and production centers excluding Rai) which will have increases of between 80.5 (the radio sector) and 115 euros (TV sector) in addition to 250 euros in arrears.
… and the most “poor”
The most modest increase? It is the one recognized to bakers employed in artisan companies: they will in fact have just 69.5 euros (paid in two installments) and 200 as a one-off fee, while the employees of industrial bakeries go to 97 euros.
But that’s not all, because soon Aran, the agency that deals with public contracts, is preparing to close the contract of local functions and then move on to the much more demanding and costly one of the school (according to the unions resources available are insufficient), while in the private sector both the tertiary-trade-distribution contract and the tourism contract are still pending. Two sectors that alone are worth almost 7 million permanent and seasonal employees. It is difficult to foresee any news in the tertiary sector in the short term (despite the fact that the contract has expired since 2019) given the difficulties in this sector. On the other hand, it is easier to imagine an agreement in a shorter time frame for tourism, also thanks to the recovery underway.