Pandemic crisis and strategies switch in the firm-level bargaining: first empirical evidence from Italian administrative data

Abstract

This work is based on the Italian administrative data (source: Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali) resulting from the applications submitted to access specific tax benefits on the Performance Related Pay (PRP) collectively established at firm or territorial level. This gives the database its originality since there are still no census data on the firm level bargaining in Italy, After a brief reconstruction of the institutional framework and its most recent evolutions, first evidence are provided on the impact of the pandemic crisis on collective agreements dealing with PRP, subject which more than others (health security management, access to Short Times Working Schemes, working hours, etc.) may have been negatively affected by the economic and employment crisis generated by the pandemic itself. Some qualitative analysis based on case studies are also presented to support and integrate the database’s information.