Bankers, part-timers granted hourly reduction with salary increase

For bank workers with a part-time contract, the hourly reduction, which was agreed for the entire category with the last labour contract, will change to a salary increase, starting in January 2026.

Yesterday, the trade unions Fabi, First, Fisac, Uilca and Unisin signed with ABI the coordinated text of the national collective labour agreement for Italian bankers, which was renewed on 23 November 2023. As a Fabi note explains, this is a technical, but central step that makes all the new provisions of the 23 November 2023 renewal, in force until 31 March 2026, fully operational. Including the reduction of part-time hours.

In a letter sent to the trade unions and signed by the general secretaries, Abi also defined the rule concerning the reduction of working time for part-time employees. The new collective agreement had increased the weekly working time for full-time employees from 37 hours and 30 minutes to 37 hours, i.e. half an hour less per week as of 1 July 2024. For 'part-timers', it was decided that the reduction would be recognised, as of 1 January 2026, with an increase in salary, 'i.e. with a recalculation, on an individual basis, of the remuneration (hourly pay) due for the agreed reduced hours; during the transitional period, paid leave proportional to the lack of reduction in hours had been recognised. As far as overtime is concerned, the hourly pay - again to take into account the reduction in working time - will be changed from 1 January 2026 to the following formula 1/360 of annual pay for each day divided by 7.4 (and no longer 7.5)," explains a Fabi note.

The coordinated text signed by Abi and the trade unions concludes the record agreement that had established an average monthly increase of EUR 435, of which bankers have already seen 92%. So far, in fact, three separate tranches have been paid, while the last one, of 35 euro, will be paid with the March 2026 salary. "With the signature we complete a national contract that to define historic is not rhetoric, but a fact," comments Fabi general secretary, Lando Maria Sileoni, "After the signature of 23 November 2023, which represented a turning point for protections, salaries and working hours, the coordinated text signed marks the full completion of a path that finally gives economic recognition also to part-time workers, too often forgotten in the major category agreements. We demanded - and obtained - that the reduction in weekly working hours also apply to them, not in the form of leave or bonuses, but with a real pay adjustment, visible in the pay packet. It is a choice of trade union justice, but also a political signal, because there are no second-class workers. Today we are once again consolidating the balance between the quality of industrial relations and respect for rights. And collective bargaining is strengthened: the national contract not only holds, but grows and becomes stronger. Our commitment now is to successfully complete the renewal of the executive contract as well.