AROUND 3,000 HIRINGS IN THREE-YEAR PERIOD 2002-2004
16 BILLION EURO INVESTMENT
APPROPRIATE WORKFORCE SIZING THROUGH PENSION LEAD-UP MOBILITY
COMMITMENT TO SOUTHERN ITALY CONFIRMED
SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT TO PERSONNEL TRAINING AND RESKILLING
The Telecom Italia Group has concluded negotiations with the Unions regarding the 2002-2004 Development Plan.
Provisions have been made for 3,000 hirings over the three-year period, including resources that will join the Group through the potential acquisition of Blu. These hirings will be oriented towards the acquisition and development of the new skills required for growth in the strategic sectors of offerings and customer service enhancement.
A reskilling project will be launched for employees in order to ensure an appropriate sizing of the workforce and achieve the correct professional mix over the Plan time-span. This is to be backed up by training programmes and the use of pension lead-up mobility for those who are eligible. The reach of this process will be defined under the appropriate procedures.
The terms of the 2002-2004 Business Plan have been confirmed. These call for at least 2 billion euros in efficiency savings over the three year-period, along with an approximately 16 billion euro investment in innovation and maintenance of the fixed-line network (approximately 7 billion euros) and wireless network (approximately 7 billion euros), IT and IP (approximately 1 billion euros) and technological innovation (approximately 700 million euros).
The Telecom Italia Group is earmarking 26% of its investments for the network in Southern Italy. This underscores its commitment to Southern Italy, so that this part of the country has the capability of seizing the full range of opportunities opened up by the Net-Economy.
Conclusion of these negotiations confirms the satisfactory framework of Telecom Italia/Union industrial relations. These negotiations have led to acceptance of the efficiency and development objectives contained in the Business Plan and use of non-traumatic tools for employment rebalancing, along with renewed commitment to significant personnel training and reskilling, and the inclusion of young people at Group companies, particularly in the south of the country.