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Italy’s nurses to get monthly pay rise of up to €170

Over half a million healthcare workers in Italy are set for a pay rise after a government deal with trade unions, ministers said on Thursday.

Published: 16 June 2022 13:40 CEST
Italy's nurses are set to receive a monthly pay rise of between €146 and €170 following a deal between government and trade unions.
Italy's nurses are set to receive a monthly pay rise of between €146 and €170 following a deal between government and trade unions. Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced the wage hike in social media posts on Thursday morning.

“More rights, more protections and more money in the paycheck for 545,000 healthcare workers who finally have a new contract,” a tweet reads.

“For the roughly 270,000 nurses, raises of between 146 and 170 euros per month. Our healthcare workers are our most precious resource.”

The collective bargaining agreement was signed between Aran, the agency tasked with representing Italian public administrations in labour negotiations, and six healthcare unions late on Wednesday evening, according to Italian media reports.

Under the agreement, healthcare staff will get a monthly pay rise of up to €98 per month, with nurses receiving an additional allowance of €72.

While nurses will receive the steepest salary hike, administrative staff, midwives, researchers and radiologists are all due to get pay rises of at least €90, reports newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano.

READ ALSO: Cost of living: How does Italy compare to the rest of the world in 2022?

Other provisions included in the contract include the introduction of a bonus allowance of between €10,000 and €20,000 for newly created managerial positions that require high levels of professional training, experience and competence.

The extra hourly rate for working night shifts rises from €2.74 to €4, according to financial news outlet Money.it.

Nurses will be eligible to receive pay rises of up to €7,700 over the course of their career, via seven individual annual salary hikes of €1,100 each.

A total of €241.6 million has reportedly been budgeted to pay for the increases.

No start date was announced for the pay increase, with reports stating that further details are still to come.

Unions said they were broadly content with the outcome but expect further investment in Italy’s healthcare sector.

“This opens a new season for the recognition of public health care work in our country,” the CGIL union’s general secretary Maurizio Landini reportedly said.

“The contract represents regained rights, now we expect a significant investment in employment and the national health service.”

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MONEY

Everything you need to know about closing a bank account in Italy

There are multiple reasons why you may want to close a bank account in Italy. But the process may not always be as straightforward as it should be.

Published: 19 April 2024 12:13 CEST
Everything you need to know about closing a bank account in Italy

There are various reasons why you may want to close your Italian bank account. 

Perhaps you’re packing up and leaving the country, or maybe you’ve just had enough of steep maintenance fees and are looking to move to a different bank.

Whichever reason you may have to close your Italian bank account, doing so may not always be straightforward, especially if you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of the process. 

How long does it take?

Bank accounts in Italy can be closed at any time and without prior notice.

It generally takes between six and 15 working days from the day you submit the request for the bank to close the account. 

READ ALSO: The verdict: What are the best banks for foreigners in Italy?

However, under an EU directive adopted in March 2015, if you ask for your account to be transferred to a different bank, this will have to happen within 12 working days from the day of the request. If the bank in question fails to comply, you’ll automatically be entitled to compensation. 

Is there a charge?

As of 2006, closing a bank account in Italy is entirely free, meaning you won’t face any closing fees or penalties. 

Having said that, any outstanding maintenance fees or stamp duty (imposta di bollo – this only applies to accounts whose average balance exceeds €5,000) will be automatically deducted before the account is closed. The same goes for any unpaid fees related to extra services connected to the account, including credit card costs.

Is there anything I need to do before closing the account?

Before requesting that your account be closed, you’ll have to make sure you have a positive balance and stop or transfer to a different account any direct debits or recurring payments. 

People walk past a branch of Italy's UniCredit bank in Milan

People walk past a branch of Italy’s UniCredit bank in Milan in August 2011. Photo by OLIVIER MORIN / AFP

You’ll also have to complete any pending banking operations, including transfers. 

Do I have to go to the branch to cancel?

Though some smaller institutes may still specifically require clients to close an account in person, most major banks in Italy currently allow customers to close an account remotely by sending a registered letter (lettera raccomandata) to the relevant branch or a PEC message to the branch’s email address.

READ ALSO: Can I open a bank account in Italy as a non-resident?

In either case, the message should enclose your account details, a completed cancellation form (this can usually be found on the bank’s website) and all the required documentation, including a copy of a valid form of ID. 

That said, while it may be possible to submit an account closure request without visiting your branch, you may still be asked to return any debit or credit cards, or, if applicable, your chequebook in person. 

Should you not be able to do so (for instance, because you live abroad) you’ll have to get in touch with the bank to make different arrangements. 

Things are generally far more straightforward when transferring an account to a different Italian bank as the new institute will handle the process for you (including the closure of the former account) and you may not be asked to visit the ‘old’ branch at all.

What about closing joint accounts?

If you have a joint account with ‘conjunct signature’ (firma congiunta) authorisation, the cancellation request must be signed by all named account holders.

READ ALSO: Which documents do I need to open an Italian bank account?

If you have a joint account with ‘disjunct signature’ (firma disgiunta) authorisation, the request can be signed by just one holder. 

Can I close the account if I have a mortgage?

Under Italian law, banks cannot force customers to keep an account open for the purpose of managing other banking products, including a mortgage. 

This means that you can close your account with the bank granting the mortgage, and keep making payments from a different account. 

However, you’ll have to make the transfer prior to submitting your account closure request.

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