Bank contracts, suspension of terms until 31 July

With the suspension of deadlines until 31 July, the minutes of the agreement signed yesterday by Abi and the trade unions (Fabi, First, Fisac, Uilca and Unisin) allow the parties the technical time to start negotiating the renewal of the bankers' contract, which expired yesterday.

Technically speaking, the minutes explain that in order to start the path for the renewal of the contract, the parties agree that conventionally the meetings to be held by 31 July of this year shall be considered as having been held by 31 March for all consequent effects, with the mere suspension until 31 July 2026 of the terms on 31 March 2026. This is without prejudice to the effective date of 1 April 2026 for the effects of any agreements that may be reached during the meetings. On the one hand, this decision will provide stability for companies, while on the other hand it will allow the unions to demand any arrears, as happened with the last renewal that brought bankers an average increase of EUR 435. In the absence of any agreements in the meantime, the situation will remain as it was yesterday, 31 March 2026.

As Fabi's general secretary Lando Maria Sileoni explains, 'bringing the suspension of deadlines to the end of July is important in order to be able to listen to the voice of workers. As soon as the trade union's platform will be defined, we will call the assemblies, which will have to be held extensively and quickly because bank workers are waiting for the renewal of the national contract with great and justified interest'.

The phase into which the bank workers are entering is neither that of an extension of the previous contract, nor of a regime of ultratactivity. In fact, the text specifies that neither extension nor ultratactivity effects of provisions expressly envisaged to expire on 31 March 2026 derive from the minutes, and this is in the interest of both parties. In any case, the economic and regulatory treatments provided for in the last contract of 23 November 2023 will fully apply to the work performance.

In the minutes signed yesterday, the parties also noted that pending what will be defined in the meetings, the operation of the Foc, the employment fund, will continue, with operating and financing arrangements in place until 31 March 2026. In the meantime, the meetings of the steering committee on digital will continue: two have already been scheduled, on 14 and 28 April, while discussions on the union platform for the renewal of the contract are underway.