Trade union-business agreement: the ‘nuova Costituzione del lavoro’ has been established

In keeping with the finest traditions, the agreement was finalised at dawn: following a classic ‘all-nighter’, after a year-long negotiation and an 18-hour non-stop session. The agreement between the business and labour sectors is now in place. Twenty-two pages, with a final ‘addendum’. At the bottom, the initials of all parties: thirteen business associations, three trade unions – in other words, 90 per cent of those who matter and sign contracts. Confindustria’s vice-president, Maurizio Marchesini, had foreshadowed this a month ago: ‘We want this agreement, and we will secure it, even if it means pulling all-nighters’. This in itself was significant: ‘all-nighters’ are characteristic of major agreements, but neither had been seen for decades – neither all-nighters nor major agreements. As if on cue, just a few hours after Marchesini’s remarks, the negotiating table had collapsed: on 15 October, following a stormy meeting, the representatives of businesses and trade unions had gathered up their papers and called it a day. In fact, it was a permanent farewell: all other scheduled meetings were also cancelled. The clash centred on wages, specifically on inflation adjustments and the contractual pay freeze. The CGIL, CISL and UIL were pushing for an almost automatic system, modelled on that of the metalworkers’ sector, but some of the companies would not hear of it.

The breakdown in October, however, did not sever ties between those who were strongly in favour of the agreement. First and foremost, Maurizio Landini, Daniela Fumarola and Pierpaolo Bombardieri, who had been ‘stubbornly united’ on this objective for months. The three trade unions also found substantial support from Confindustria and Confcommercio: vice-presidents Marchesini and Lusetti were equally convinced they could pull it off, so much so that throughout this year of negotiations they attended every meeting, even the most technical ones usually delegated to the ‘sherpas’. From one confidential meeting to the next, a new date was set for 11 November: yet another attempt. And last week, during the CGIL General Assembly at the Brancaccio Theatre, the mood was one of ‘make or break’. In other words: either an agreement is reached, or it’s all over.

An agreement has been reached. An agreement that carries real weight: it rewrites the rules governing industrial relations, establishing that dialogue between the parties, rather than conflict, is the norm; it introduces, for the first time, a system for calculating the representation of trade unions and companies, sidelining the so-called ‘pirates’; it provides for a vote, in all workplaces, on the establishment of RSUs, if requested by at least 30 per cent plus one of the employees. As for contracts and wages, it sets out a system which, in short, works as follows: contracts are renewed upon expiry; proposals are submitted six months in advance, with a response due within one month, and negotiations begin immediately. If prices rise more than expected, the difference is recouped through periodic reviews (annual or biennial) and is retained. When renewal is delayed, a mandatory safeguard linked to inflation adjustment is triggered. The model is that of the metalworkers’ sector, which, as we have said, was one of the obstacles that had long held up an agreement. But in the end, it was passed.

All those involved in the negotiations have reacted enthusiastically. Fumarola speaks of a “groundbreaking agreement” and emphasises: “It was drawn up by trade unions and businesses entirely independently, following a long and at times acrimonious dialogue between different worlds. Whilst Italy is divided on every issue, the worlds of labour and business have established serious and enforceable rules for themselves. It is an act of responsibility towards the country”. Bombardieri remarks: “A revolution in industrial relations”. And Landini, the eternal malcontent, is also jubilant this time, going so far as to state that this agreement “heralds a new era of democracy”. Equally jubilant are the comments from the business world – large and small firms, industry and commerce, craftspeople and co-operatives. But the comment that best captures what happened overnight comes from the president of Confapi, who states: “A new labour constitution has been born.” And perhaps that is exactly the case.