Electrolux, trattativa verso la curva finale: decisivi gli incontri del 2 e 3 novembre

In a meeting between Electrolux and trade unions at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, a decisive step forward was taken regarding job cuts. Thanks to 60 voluntary layoffs incentivized, the workforce reduced from 1,250 to 1,190, including 150 workers at the Cerreto d'Esi site. However, this was not enough for the unions, who are seeking further reductions and additional tools to build an agreement, which has proven to be very complicated.

These include Fiom, Fim, and Uilm, indicating expansion contracts that require the government to refinance and support amortization measures that could be useful for tackling the final stage of negotiations. For the unions, the willingness of layoffs is crucial.

The upcoming meetings are scheduled for November 2nd and 3rd, and they will be decisive in determining whether a comprehensive agreement can be reached. The most delicate situation is that of the Cerreto d'Esi site, where Electrolux had announced a closure. The unions have asked for a binding commitment to maintain current production levels until a new investor arrives and to set a maximum limit for the use of social amortization.

For the Porcia plant, they have asked the multinational for an additional commitment to maintain the production of tumble dryers, with Electrolux only willing to raise the production quota from the 30% projected in the previous meeting to 50%.

After the voluntary and incentivized layoffs, Electrolux revised the layoffs to 1,190, including the 150 workers at the Cerreto site. The layoffs only affected workers, while there remain 600 excess employees among executives. For the unions, the numbers need to be reduced further, which is why they have proposed the idea of expansion contracts to facilitate a professional replacement.

Fiom, Fim, and Uilm ask the government to refinance expansion contracts and support measures to reach an agreement. They also ask Electrolux to commit to not reducing organic positions below a pre-agreed threshold, after which the company must resort to substitution, giving priority to those with experience in temporary contracts.

If a general framework is found in the meeting on November 2nd, the unions are ready to sit at the table to move towards a synthesis, considering it essential for Electrolux to use the criterion of non-opposition in managing mobility procedures, excluding formally forced layoffs, the prediction of rotation for workers in the bread-and-butter fund, the definition of incentives for outplacement, the need to maintain sufficient positions for workers with reduced work capacity.