Unirec, agreement to protect victims of gender-based violence and promote inclusion

Protecting victims of gender-based violence and promoting inclusion. The agreement signed yesterday by Unirec, the Confindustria association that represents credit management companies and brings together almost 80% of the market for a total of more than 15 thousand professionals, and the trade unions, Fisascat and Uiltucs, renewed and extended until 31 December 2027 the Consolidation Agreement on labour relations in the credit protection sector. The association and the trade unions decided to combine the agreements signed so far in a single text and to strengthen the issues of gender protection. For the employer side, the negotiations were followed directly by Unirec president Cristian Bertilaccio with the support of Marcello Grimaldi, past president of the association with responsibility for labour relations. "Our aim is to combine the needs of companies with those of professionals and to find new solutions to encourage the development of increasingly inclusive working environments. The two-year duration of the Agreement will provide a good test horizon for the benefit of member companies and workers,' Bertilaccio explains.

Among the measures that have been shared by the parties are specific company protocols and training paths to promote inclusive and safe working environments and to foster equal treatment between male and female workers. Going into the merits, there is the support of employees included in protection paths related to gender-based violence (pursuant to Article 24, Legislative Decree No. 80 of 15 June 2015, as amended and supplemented), with the recognition, at the employer's expense, of an additional period of paid leave of 1 month and the right to request exemption from night work for the next 6 months.

According to the latest Unirec report, 61 per cent of the employees of its member companies are women, but the agreement signed is intended to protect everyone, without distinction, and can be used in the presence of certification of protection by the Social Services of the municipality of residence or by Anti-Violence Centres or Refugee Houses in accordance with current legislation. Unirec past president Grimaldi spoke of 'a fruitful and constructive discussion with the trade unions. With this agreement, the result of work carried out in a strong spirit of cooperation, we are promoting a shared and solid industrial relations model for the credit protection services sector'.