A multi-collective agreement is an advanced collective bargaining instrument, signed by multiple trade unions and employer organizations belonging to different production sectors.

It is characterized by its ability to impact multiple National Collective Labor Agreements (NCLAs), uniformly regulating cross-sectoral matters of common interest.

This negotiation model aims to simplify collective regulations by promoting normative consistency across different sectors.

In the pension field, the multi-collective agreement has assumed an increasingly significant role.

Specifically, it allows for the shared regulation of key aspects of supplementary pension schemes: methods of joining negotiated pension funds, effective dates, contribution levels, and management criteria.

The objective is to promote a wider adoption of pension funds and to strengthen the so-called “second pillar” of the Italian pension system.

Unlike sector-specific collective bargaining, the multi-collective agreement enables decisions that would otherwise be made individually by each category to be concentrated in a single negotiation venue.

This entails numerous advantages, including:

– simplifying workers’ access to supplementary pensions;

– adopting homogeneous rules across related or interconnected sectors;

– expanding the pool of members and enhancing the long-term sustainability of pension funds.

Among the most common provisions in this type of agreement are:

– automatic enrollment (so-called “opt-out” or “silence-assent”) of newly hired workers into relevant negotiated pension funds;

– mandatory minimum employer contributions, even in the absence of active worker contributions;

– the introduction of shared or standardized management criteria across different funds, aiming to improve administrative efficiency and governance of pension entities.

From a legal standpoint, the multi-collective agreement falls within the scope of second-level collective bargaining, grounded in the constitutional principle of collective autonomy (Article 39 of the Italian Constitution). It does not constitute a new source of law but rather an organizational method for existing bargaining, allowing the coordination and harmonization of multiple NCLAs on cross-cutting matters.

Practically, signing or implementing a multi-collective agreement has significant implications for companies, labor consultants, and human resources managers.

These include compliance with mandatory contribution obligations, reviewing corporate welfare policies, and potentially updating internal contractual arrangements.

In a demographic and economic context that is constantly evolving, supplementary pensions today represent one of the main tools to ensure workers a more stable retirement future.

In this light, the multi-collective agreement emerges as a strategic instrument, capable of overcoming individual resistance to voluntary participation and contributing to a pension system that is stronger, more inclusive, and coherent.

The law firm remains available for any clarifications.