The Welfare of Telecommunications

Since last 9 April, the employees of the telecommunications sector have also been the recipients of welfare measures. Indeed, through a specific trade union memorandum of agreement, the signatories of the National Collective Bargaining Agreement have implemented the provisions under the Plan Agreement for the Renewal of the aforesaid collective bargaining agreement of 23 November 2017. In particular, it is foreseen that, effective as from 1 July 2018 and until the following 31 December, the companies within the sector must implement specific welfare measures in terms of goods and services, due up to an amount of Euro 120. Such measures will be acknowledged to the employees, who are not under a probation period, hired as at 1 July with indefinite and fixed term employment agreements, having accrued at least 3 months of seniority in 2018. Any employee under unpaid or non-indemnified leave within the period running from 1 July 2018 until 31 December 2018 will be excluded. The agreement foresees that the new welfare measures will be added to any possible offer of goods and services already foreseen within the company either individually or collectively. As regards the basket of goods and services falling within the welfare, it is foreseen that the companies, together with the company’s trade unions, must identify the relevant types in view of improving the quality of the personal and family life of employees belonging to the company’s staff, consistently with their features, favouring those aimed at education, training, recreation and social assistance and healthcare. Without prejudice, in any event, to the possibility that the employees entitled thereto have, to allocate the amount of Euro 120 to funding the so-called Telemaco Fund, that is the sector supplementary pension fund.