Safilo signs solidarity agreement with labor unions

The aim of the agreement is the redundancy management resulting from the non-renewal of the Armani license The Safilo Group has announced that it and the labor unions have signed a solidarity agreement for the redundancy management resulting from the non-renewal of the Armani license announced May 11. The agreement was signed at the Ministry for Labor and Social Policies in Rome.   It is a follow-up of the preliminary agreement signed and announced June 15, which integrates its contents and lists the operational details, especially with regard to the organization of work and to methods for reducing hours and shifts.   Based on the premise that "Made in Italy" is the cornerstone of the Safilo Group's production capacity, the agreement envisages extensive recourse to the solidarity tool for 24 months. It also provides for a significant increase in the level of flexibility and a series of actions aimed at a return to efficiency through employee training and requalification programs and a selective investment plan.   Safilo Group chief executive Roberto Vedovotto commented : "The signing of this agreement represents a fundamental step for Safilo and all its stakeholders. It will enable the Group to deal with objective problems that are the result of the non-renewal of such an important license by providing a solution that reconciles social demands, especially in terms of maintaining jobs, with corporate requirements for competitiveness, efficiency and the creation of value."