Pharmacies: clash over employee contract, strike now looming
The conflict between Federfarma and trade unions has escalated: the cancellation of the meeting puts the negotiations back on the high seas with the risk of inconvenience for citizens
The clash between Federfarma and the trade unions over the renewal of the contract for the 60,000 employees of private pharmacies has escalated, a tug-of-war that began in recent months and culminated in Federfarma's cancellation of a meeting set for 9 October to resume negotiations, a decision deemed by the trade unions to be 'of an unprecedented gravity that calls into question all the work and commitment put in over the last few months'.
Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl and Uiltucs believe that this "very serious attitude of Federfarma must be opposed by all means", announcing a new phase of mobilisation "that will call on all Italian pharmacists and pharmacists to take part in the initiatives of struggle that we will define in the coming days and that will result in the declaration of a national strike".
The mobilisation inevitably risks causing inconvenience to citizens, especially at a time when pharmacies are becoming a fundamental health service in the territory with the extension of services well beyond the dispensing of medicines.
The development of negotiations
At the previous meeting, on 5 August, Federfarma had presented a new salary increase proposal, equal to EUR 180 gross per month, compared to the original proposal of EUR 120 (the unions are asking for an increase in payroll of EUR 360). On that occasion, the unions took note of the new offer and, while declaring their intention to maintain the state of agitation, expressed their willingness to continue the dialogue with Federfarma. Hence the two meetings scheduled for the development of negotiations: 9 October and 29 October. Then a strike called on 26 September by the territorial unions Filcams CGIL, Fisascat Cisl and Uiltucs in Sardinia cooled relations and pushed Federfarma to freeze the calendar of meetings.
Overcoming criticalities
In recent weeks," the unions explain, "we have worked with great commitment: we have initiated and maintained continuous discussions with Federfarma to limit any possible problems in relation to the relationship and method in order to finally return to addressing the issues that are important to pharmacists and pharmacy workers: salary, professionalism, working hours and training.
