On 5 December 2023, the agreement renewing the National Collective Bargaining Agreement for Executives of Cooperative Credit Banks (Contratto Collettivo Nazionale di Lavoro per i Dirigenti delle Banche di Credito Cooperativo, ‘CCNL’) signed by Federcasse and the unions FABI, FIRST/CISL, FISAC/CIGL, UGL Credito and UILCA/UIL was published.
The changes introduced concern, firstly, financial aspects relating to differentiated salary adjustments (so-called “double track”). Specifically, from 1 January 2024, the minimum annual remuneration due to executives will be EUR 73,000. In addition, executives who do not receive a total gross annual fixed remuneration of at least EUR 80,000 will be granted an additional economic emolument called “Supplementary Remuneration Payment” equal to the difference between their remuneration and up to the sum of EUR 80,000, divided into 13 monthly payments.
Finally, again from 1 January 2024, the following will no longer be paid: (a) on-call payments (Article 21); (b) remuneration for attendings meetings outside of working hours (Article 24) as well as the business travel allowance (Article 40).
Moving on to look at the changes to the regulations, the following are of particular interest:
- Training (Article 12): starting from 1 January 2024, every two years the executive will receive a personalised technical training package equal to 20 hours (in the two-year period) for certain subjects. For executives hired from outside the Category, the personalised technical training package for the first year after recruitment will be equal to 20 hours to be carried out entirely within that first year. In addition, to access an executive management career and the role of manager, companies, in so far as compatible with production and organisational needs, must ensure the development of internal resources, including through special training and career paths.
- Higher duties (Article 13): the period of employment carrying out higher duties that leads to the definitive award of executive or manager status is increased from four months to five months.
- Leave (Article 29): three days leave are also granted in the event of hospitalisation of a child or spouse or cohabiting partner or parent, limited to the days of actual hospitalisation. Moreover, companies, for the purposes of granting leave, time off and unpaid leave, must take into account special family situations involving the need to care for children with difficult circumstances (e.g. bullying, drug addiction, anorexia/bulimia).
- Other provisions: sickness and accident benefits (Articles 34 and 35), as well as the provisions concerning maternity and paternity benefits, are aligned with the provisions of the Italian National Collective Bargaining Agreement for Middle Managers and Professional Personnel.
- Contribution (Articles 47 and 47 bis): starting from 1 January 2024, the contribution to the National Mutual Fund for the staff of Cooperative Credit Banks and that for Long Term Care is aligned to that which applies to staff belonging to the Middle Managers and Professional Personnel category.
- Abolished Leave Days (deriving from abolished public holidays) (Article 26): for 2024, a day of leave will be donated to the “Bank of Solidarity Time” (Banca del tempo solidale) i.e. voluntary work.
- Notice (Article 62): notice is increased from three to four months in the event of voluntary resignation by the executive.