Contested deal in Italian metalworking

Agreement has been reached for some 1,500,000 employees in the Italian metalworking on pay increases for the next two years. However, very unusually the settlement has been accepted by only two of the three main union confederations, CSIL and UIL. The third and largest, the CGIL, has refused to sign and continues to mobilise its members against the deal. The settlement provides for an increase in monthly pay of Euro 36.16 from July 2001 and a further Euro 31.00 from March 2002. There is also a lump sum of Euro 232.50 to cover the first six months of this year without an increase. This is also paid in two instalments Euro 155 in July 2001 and Euro 77.50 in July 2002.

The Euro was worth 60p on 17 July.