Work

Bcc bankers, contract renewed: 435 euro increase, first 300 in September

Federcasse and Fabi, First, Fisac, Uilca and Ugl credito signed the agreement during the night, which concerns 36,500 workers: from July 2025 there will also be a reduction in working hours

by Cristina Casadei

9 July 2024

4' min read

4' min read

For cooperative credit bankers there will be an increase of EUR 435 at the average reference level (third area, fourth level), which is 15% above the current salary level. In addition to this amount there will be a one-off payment of 1,200 euro as a recovery of arrears, which will be paid in July, and a reduction of the working week by half an hour, in line with what was decided in ordinary credit with the ABI-union agreement. The first instalment of EUR 300 will be paid with the September monthly salary. There will then be a second step of EUR 60 in January 2025, to go fully into effect with the additional EUR 75 in January 2026.

These are some of the points of the renewal of the national collective labour agreement for cooperative credit that was signed tonight between the delegation of Federcasse and Fabi (which has about 60% of the members), First, Fisac, Uilca and Ugl credito. The new contract concerns about 36,500 workers and will be valid until 31 December 2025 (it had expired on 31 December 2022).

Federcasse Vice-Chairman Matteo Spanò, who is chairman of the trade union delegation, explains that 'the renewal agreement provides for measures that adjust salaries in significant terms, with an average increase of 15%. Together with the unions, we have established a commitment to support the presence of the branches of our cooperative banks in the territories and communities with specific measures'. In addition, Spanò adds, 'the centrality of our national labour contract was confirmed as a reference point for the entire cooperative credit system and as an essential tool to combine the needs of the BCC Iccrea and Cassa Centrale Cooperative Banking Groups and the Raiffeisen Südtirol IPS with the distinctive role of the mutual bank, characterised by a measurable coherence with the social function that the Constitution and ordinary regulations attribute to it'.

Fabi national secretary Luca Bertinotti explains that the negotiations brought 'the just claims and legitimate expectations expressed in the platform, with the signing of the National Contract that looks to the future of the sector and maintains its distinctive features while guaranteeing economic and regulatory guarantees and protections for all workers in the Cooperative Credit Sector'.

Hourly Reduction and Allowance

Going into the other chapters of the agreement reached, the parties agreed, as mentioned above, on the reduction of the working week by half an hour, with equal pay, as of 1 July 2025.

In addition, a new cash-less allowance of EUR 90 was identified and an employer's contribution to the Solidarity Time Bank of 30 per cent was agreed upon.

to what has been paid voluntarily by workers.

On the new employment front, an important intervention on the bilateral fund was decided, with the allocation, for two years, of the contribution dedicated to the Income Support Fund to the Credito Cooperativo Employment Fund, to the National Mutual Fund and to premature retirement.

GLI AUMENTI DEI BANCARI BCC E L’UNA TANTUM DI LUGLIO

The Employment Fund

In detail, the temporary suspension for the two-year period 2025-2026 of payments to the Solidarity Fund has been agreed upon against a current capacity of about EUR 90 million. The contribution that will be transferred is 0.36% of the taxable salary, of which two thirds will be borne by the companies and one third by the workers. The amount will be used to implement the Employment Fund (FOOC) in the amount of 0.28%, for a further contribution to the National Mutual Fund in the amount of 0.06%, and for the establishment of a 'predecease fund' for the families of workers who died during employment in the amount of 0.02%. The obligation to finance the Cooperative Credit Union's Employment Fund, equal to 0.135% for Bcc and 0.05% for workers, already regulated by previous national agreements, is considered as of 1 January 2025.

Participation

A further qualifying element of this contract renewal on which the parties would agree is the strong call for participation: effective and sustainable participatory models for the active involvement of women and men workers in the life of the company will be examined in the special study commission.

The fight against desertification

Furthermore, the fight against banking desertification enters as a common objective within the contract, a sign of the attention of the trade unions and Federcasse to the issue: specific organisational measures for territories at risk of banking desertification will be identified within the framework of the national body on the impact of new technologies/digitalisation.

Unions' reactions

"The signing of this agreement contributes to the advancement of wages, rights and contractual innovations in the sector and in the world of work in general," said Fisac CGIL general secretary Susy Esposito.

For Uilca national secretaries Giuseppe Del Vecchio and Luca Faietti, 'the new contract recognises and enhances the commitment and professionalism of the sector's workers. The Bcc represent in some realities, more often than not, the only banking reference point on the territory for businesses and families and play a leading role in economic and social terms. This renewal expresses their value'.

Pier Paolo Merlini and Gianluca Pernisco of First Cisl speak of a 'far-sighted contract that marks continuity in industrial relations in the wake of sector specificities'.