Are you thinking of moving to Italy to look for a job? Have you recently moved to Italy because of a job opportunity? Then you must be equipped with some basic information about the wage rates in Italy. Read on to find out more.
All You Need to Know About Minimum Wages in Italy
The first thing to remember if you are looking for a job in Italy in any sector is that there is no minimum wage in Italy. The minimum wages are set through sectoral agreements called the National Collective Bargaining Agreement or NCBAs which are signed between trade unions and employees of a particular sector. So, whichever sector you are looking for work in, make sure to check the NCBAs that are in effect in that sector.
Hospitality, food service, insurance and metal work are some sectors where such NCBAs are in place. If you are not familiar with how NCBAs work then read on for more information so that you can negotiate salary in Italy more confidently.
To learn more about this, check this detailed article about minimum wage in Italy. Remember also that it is very important to understand your net income if you accept a job offer in the Mediterranean country.
How do NCBAs Work?
A National Collective Bargaining Agreement can operate on two levels. It can either be applied to a whole sector or be at a provincial or regional level. How these NCBAs operate is different.
The NCBAs which apply to a sector are applicable for every employee in that sector throughout the country while the provincial or regional ones apply to one region or one province only. This is the major difference between the two. The conditions that these agreements cover is also different. The sectoral NCBAs specify minimum wage rates, minimum hours of work, classifying the types of work involved in running a sector smoothly and the employee conditions.
The regional or provincial one includes the details mentioned in the sectoral NCBAs and also states finer points like working conditions, terms of contracts with employees, bonuses for productivity and great performance. The minimum wage rates ensured by NCBAs are revised every year to adjust to the inflation and they can be negotiated every three years. The NCBAs at lower levels like the one signed between a company and its employee is slightly more flexible and can even be reviewed and revised every year if deemed necessary.
Before you negotiate salary in Italy, you must look up what kind of NCBA is in place in your place of employment. Make sure to check the terms and conditions properly. You can also enlist the help of professionals if you are confused about any terms in the NCBAs.
Finding out about the standard minimum wages in other countries for the sector you are going to work in also helps you in preparing to negotiate salary in Italy. The minimum wage in Italy falls short when compared to the likes of Germany, France and Belgium but this might change soon if the suggested national minimum wage bill is passed by the Italian government. The proceedings to pass this bill and ensure a minimum wage for the workers in Italy is still in motion. Experts suggest that this would be a good move that would improve the standard of living and make things easier for the employed people in Italy.
To Conclude
It is very essential to be well-equipped with knowledge of wages in the job market in Italy before you have to negotiate salary in Italy. Finding out all about the NCBAs in the sector or the region you are looking for work in is essential so that you can confidently negotiate salary in Italy. While you are hunting for a job you should also read up about the working conditions in Italy and check if the NCBAs cover those or not. If you are looking to make the shift to Italy and start working there then you must read up and get as much information as you can about the working conditions there.
