“The special temporary redundancy scheme for the workers at Safilo’s Martignacco plant [in Friuli, northern Italy] will begin on July 1, as agreed by the company and the workforce.” The announcement was made by Sergio Emidio Bini and Alessia Rosolen, respectively the Friuli region’s industry and employment councillors, at the end of a video-conference meeting with the senior staff of Italy's Ministry for Economic Development (MED).

The meeting gave governmental sanction to the preliminary agreement between Italian eyewear group Safilo and union representatives, and was useful to fine-tune some of the elements that will be included in the framework agreement to be drawn up by MED. With regards to Safilo’s Martignacco plant, the agreement provides for temporary redundancies to start from July. This would avoid the plant’s immediate closure, as well as lay the groundwork so that a special advisor can be appointed to assess the plant’s re-industrialisation and search for a new buyer. A workforce outplacement option is also on the cards, with help from the Friuli Region’s employment offices and private outplacement agencies.

Councillor Bini said that “our administration has repeatedly told [Safilo] that, once an advisor will be appointed, we intend to meet them in order to work together on this issue. On the one side, we wish to apprise them of the tools we can put at their disposal, using regional funds too, and on the other, we are willing to offer our support in finding a potential buyer to take over [the Martignacco plant].” Councillor Bini added that talks to this end have already been initiated, and are being constantly assessed, since the Friuli region’s priority remains “keeping the plant operating for the town of Martignacco.”

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Employment-wise, Councillor Rosolen said that the regional authorities are willing to support the special lay-off scheme for the plant’s workers already agreed on by the parties, by introducing labour-protection measures aimed at helping the workers’ outplacement.