The agreement, which includes working hours directive and new hires resolution, has been approved by a large majority of employees through an internal referendum
Automobili Lamborghini has officially signed the renewal of the Corporate Supplementary Contract, four years after the last one. The Sant'Agata Bolognese-based manufacturer and the unitary trade union representative, together with FIOM CGIL and FIM CISL, ratified the agreement after an internal company referendum in which employees expressed almost unanimous consent to the agreement. A comprehensive revision of working hours and 500 permanent hires by 2026 are the main changes introduced by the Agreement.
The signing comes after the draft agreement concluded last December and represents a historic agreement due to its highly innovative features. The changes to working hours will take effect between late 2024 and early 2025 in a pilot project to assess their full feasibility and alignment with all company processes. After a year of testing, a committee of experts will assess the long-term sustainability of the new work organization.
Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, remarked: 'We are truly proud to have reached this historic agreement. This is a new development in the workplace that once again demonstrates how much our company cares about the welfare of its employees and constantly strives to be more and more attractive. Once again Automobili Lamborghini has proven to be a forerunner by signing a groundbreaking agreement. The goal is to further improve productivity and create a more inviting and welcoming work environment, even for future new talent, professionals needed to meet the challenges of electrification and digitization that are transforming our industry.'
The signing comes after a year of negotiations, demonstrating the peculiarities and complexity of the subjects covered. The agreement introduces radical changes in the area of work-life balance, resulting in greater flexibility and a restructuring of the hours spent in the company. Indeed, the main purpose is to harmonize the wellbeing of employees, a key driver of Automobili Lamborghini's success, with safeguarding productivity and economic potential. Specifically, in the production area, a shift pattern differentiated by business area will be introduced which, by restructuring working hours and alternating four-day and five-day weeks, will give staff one Friday off every two weeks (for two-shift departments) or two Fridays off every three weeks (for three-shift departments). For non-production employees, the agreement will lead to a significant improvement in the system of flexible working hours, including the opportunity for additional paid leave, as well as the already-established company policy of using up to a maximum of 12 days of remote working per month.
Umberto Tossini, Chief People, Culture & Organization Officer at Automobili Lamborghini, stated: 'Bringing such a complex negotiation to a successful conclusion is a source of satisfaction. But the most important gratification comes from the innovative content of the agreement, which redesigns the shift and working-time system. We have respected our entrepreneurial vocation, which is based on the company's competitiveness and ability to innovate pragmatically. At the same time, we have reaffirmed the centrality of people in the organization by valuing professional and generational differences. Lamborghini believes that the success of any company is based on the motivation and well-being of its people.''
The agreement also introduces specific measures to protect diversity and promote inclusion, a strengthening of protections for contract labor, as well as improved individual rights and company protection to support parenting, including for example the economic integration borne by the company for optional maternity/paternity leave, which guarantees a minimum of between 70% and 80% of normal pay, increased to 100% for single parents or leave required for children with disabilities.
Of equal importance is the commitment that the company and the Trade Union Representatives have shared in pursuing a direct and indirect personnel recruitment plan, for a total of 500 new employees (net of turnover) with permanent contracts, to be implemented by December 2026. This plan is linked to the development agreement submitted by the company to the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy and Invitalia, which was also recently approved by the Emilia Romagna Region. The increase in employment is even more significant considering the more than 1,000 permanent hires that the House of Sant'Agata Bolognese has made in the last ten years.
Overall, the agreement signifies a further step forward for Automobili Lamborghini, certifying the growth path and vision the company has put in place for the years to come.
Photo credit: Lamborghini posted on conceptcarz.com
