Footwear, contract renewed: 191 euro increase on minimums, first 90 in August

The fashion industry racks up another contract renewal. In fact, the hypothesis of an agreement for the renewal of the national collective labour contract was signed yesterday in Milan by Assocalzaturifici, the Confindustria association representing companies in the sector, and the trade unions (Filctem, Femca and Uiltec).

For the economic part, the agreement provides for an average increase on the minimum wage (Tem), at the average reference level (4th) of EUR 191, divided into three tranches. Almost half of the amount (47 per cent) will reach the 75,000 workers of the 4,000 enterprises in the sector as early as next month: the first tranche is EUR 90 and will be paid from 1 August this year, the second of EUR 51 from 1 August 2025 and the third of EUR 50 from 1 August 2026. The total amount of the contract, according to a calculation by the unions, is EUR 4,149. Worth noting is the operation on the 1st level that brings the minimum hourly wage above EUR 9, recognising a total increase of EUR 289.90.

The last contract had expired at the end of last year: the agreement was reached after seven months of negotiations and the renewal signed yesterday will run from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026. The economic part is obviously of great importance, especially since the average amount of 191 euro is on the minimums, but that is not all. In fact, what is planned for welfare must be added. In fact, companies will increase their contribution to the Sanimoda supplementary health fund by EUR 3, to a total of EUR 15 per month for each employee, from 1 January 2026. In addition, from 1 January 2025, companies will pay 2 euros for long-term care (non-self-sufficiency) coverage. For Previmoda insurance, from 1 April 2025 the company's share for premature death and permanent disability will be adjusted by an additional 0.04%. So if we take Tec into account, the total increase becomes EUR 196.75 over the three-year period, or 11%. "We are satisfied with the conclusion of this negotiation," explains Giovanna Ceolini, president of Assocalzaturifici, "which not only aimed at an increase in wages but also focused attention on welfare and social aspects, making our sector more attractive. We are certain that it will give a further boost to the restart of a sector that, with over EUR 14 billion and more than 72,000 employees, represents one of the economic engines of the Italian manufacturing sector'. In a joint note, Filctem, Femca, and Uiltec explain that this is 'a very satisfactory result at a particular time in the life of the sector, which, after a flourishing period following the pandemic, is seeing a stalemate and generalised difficulties,' to which the unions draw the attention of all the institutions. The economic recognition 'safeguards the purchasing power of female and male workers, and at the same time makes significant progress in gender, contractual welfare, anti-violence and shared parenting policies'.

On the regulatory side, the composition of the Joint Commission on the revision of classifications and the promotion of the Equal Opportunities Code was defined. In the area of flexibility, the threshold for the overall use of fixed-term and temporary contracts is lowered from 32 to 30 per cent, while the individual hour bank is increased from 42 to 58. Unpaid leave for personal needs is increased from 3 to 4 months, and unpaid leave of one month, in addition to what is already provided for by law, is envisaged for assisted reproduction. Recognition in the contract of paid leave for bone marrow donation (tests, collection, hospitalisation, convalescence) and for children's illness (from 3 to 8 years) of 10 days per year, compared to the 5 days provided for by law. An additional month's paid leave has been set, in addition to what is already provided for victims of gender violence, and the comporto period has been increased by 2 months for workers with certified disabilities (Law 68).