Labour-management relations

Acea applies the Single Contract for the electricity sector and the Single Contract for the gas-water sector. All the workers are therefore covered by national collective bargaining agreements.
In 2022, unionisation was around 67% and 258 employees held management or trade union representation positions, of which: 19, appointed following an agreement, were Workers’ Representatives for Safety and the Environment (RLSAs) and 7, appointed following elections, were Unitary Trade Union Representatives (RSUs) for the company Acea Ato 5.

Within the Human Resources Function of the Parent Company, the Industrial Relations Unit oversees the company’s policies regarding trade union relations, ensuring consistency with the Group’s objectives. The discussions on the specific corporate requirements are conducted within the framework of national collective bargaining (CCNL) at the sector level, and between companies and internal employee representatives.
The Labour-Management Relations Model applied in Acea defines a system of high-profile trade union relations based on bilateral agreements and participation, combining business objectives and social demands.
The Labour-Management Relations Protocol structures the system of union participation and dialogue on three levels – Group, industrial segment and corporate – and provides for several areas of comparison: economic and financial performance, employment policies, selection, promotion, development and training of staff, occupational safety, corporate welfare, promotion of diversity and inclusion; industrial policy and investment plans; performance bonus, organisation of working hours, technical and specialized training and professional development.

Acea has a consultation procedure for workers, that can be applied directly or through their representatives. It covers issues such as occupational safety, respect for the environment and sustainable development of production activities and, in order to favour the involvement of employees in trade union relations activities, it has set up a dedicated e-mail address. There are also Bilateral Commissions, composed of company representatives and employees, who express their opinions on issues such as training, remote working, corporate welfare and occupational health and safety and participatory models, such as Unitary Trade Unions (RSU) and Workers for Safety and the Environment (RLSA).
In 2022, the main agreements signed by Acea with the trade unions concerned welfare, organisation of work, training, and sustainability. In particular, in January, an agreement on corporate welfare was reached, which defined a new management model for supplementary healthcare aimed at improving health coverage offered to employees, in line with changes in contractual and tax regulations. As a result of this agreement, a new healthcare policy has been active since June 2022, for employees and their dependent family members, which also provides coverage for certain dental services.
The measures of social importance carried out in the year include the agreements reached with the dual objective of enhancing complementary insurance and rewarding the work of staff for the achievement of good company performance, which, from 2022, provides employees who achieve positive results and in case the profitability indicator (EBITDA) outperforms, an additional payment of € 200 to be allocated to the Pegaso contractual Complementary Social Security Fund.
With reference to the organisation of work, the “New Normal” Remote Working agreement was reached, which guarantees employees access to remote working, on a voluntary basis, usually up to a maximum of 60% of the monthly working days and for a total period of 12 months.
Also of particular importance was the agreement on the New Skills Fund, which confirms, in line with the renewals of the national collective bargaining agreements applied, the central role of training in acquiring and refreshing the skills necessary for the transformation of working methods and technologies. Pursuant to this agreement, the Group companies have envisaged that part of the working hours be dedicated to a training project that includes courses on the digital and ecological transition.
Lastly, in 2022, in line with the provisions of the Agreement dated 30 July 2020, also with the purpose of managing generational turnover, the agreement that governs the implementing methods of the Isopension Plan was signed for employees who, between 1 August 2023 and 30 November 2027, meet the requirement for retirement or early retirement.

As regards the information notice to the employees regarding possible organisational changes or corporate reorganisations that effect employment relations, Acea takes different positions depending on the situations explained below:

1. organisational changes: in the event of establishment of new Units or changes in assignments or responsibilities, the Human Resources Department issues an Organisational Provision and sends a communication to the competent functions, which post it on the bulletin board and the company intranet. In the event of organisational changes that affect the staff, the trade union representatives are informed. If they concern a single employee (change in workplace, schedules, etc.), he receives communication by the Human Resources Unit of the person’s Company;
2. Corporate reorganisations: in the event of reorganisation, as a result of significant organisational and production changes, with effects on working conditions and employment, the methods of informing the employees and the Trade Union Representatives, are regulated by the CCNL applied in the Group and by the Labour-Management Relations Protocols;
3. corporate transformations (such as alienations, mergers, acquisitions, transfers of company branches): in cases of corporate transformation, the notices to the employees are regulated by the legislation in force135, which anticipates information obligations towards employees that allows them to verify the business reasons for the transactions, the correct methods of the process and the consequences on the employment relationship.

135 Article 2112 of the Italian Civil Code and Article 47 of Law 428/90 as subsequently amended and supplemented.