UNI Med Finance, first Management Board Meeting

On november 3rd was held in Athens the first UNI Med Finance Management Board meeting, after the birth of the new organism occurred in Cyprus on May 31st

The structure, part of UNI Europa Finance, gathers the Unions representatives of the banking and financial sectors of the Euro-Mediterranean countries. The UMF meeting was hosted in the headquarters of the Greek Trade Union OTOE. The Agenda defined priorities and took decisions for the future of the workers represented in UNI Finance Area III. The decisions taken during the meeting were presented by the UMF delegation to UNI Europa Finance  Steering Group and Conference, that took place in Nyon on November 22th.

The opening was made by UMF President Mauro Bossola (FABI) followed by Stavros Koukos (OTOE) focusing on the current Greek situation and on consequences that could be rolled out toward all Mediterranean countries

UNI Europa Finance Report was made by UNI Europa Finance Vice President Francisco Utrilla (CC.OO. Servicios) with a special focus on TTIP agreement and his effects on jobs and quality of life for the European people.  He also informed the MB that UMF Vice President William Portelli will be appointed as UNI Europa Finance Coordinator for the Social Dialogue in the Banking Sector. 
 
Digitalization on the Financial Sector
UMF Vice President William Portelli underlined the importance for  the Trade Union movement to gear up in front of the new technology challenges and UMF President Mauro Bossola (FABI) made a presentation showing  the connection between digitalization and demography.
 
Luciano Malvolti (First/CISL), Coordinator of UNI Europa Finance Regulatory Group, made a report about the  ongoing issues of Capital Market Union and  Basel III, also with reference to the UNI Finance survey.  
The Management Board agreed on the opportunity to make a joint statement on the matter. The MB also agreed on the opportunity to write down a similar statement for the insurance sector's regulation framework: Christos Papadogiannis (OSAE) was entitled to write a draft and to send it to all MB members   in order to achieve consensus on it.
 
Stavros Koukos (OTOE) illustrated a proposal for a statement about the protection of National Collective Bargaining in the Financial sector, which was amended and assumed by the MB as a draft . UMF Vice President Loizos Hadjicostis (ETYK) supported the proposal and made a report on the situation of the Cyprus' financial system after the Troika intervention.
Pietro Gentile (FABI ITC Expert) delivered a presentation of the draft version of the  new UMF Website.
UMF General Secretary Mario Ongaro made a report about the initiative carried out with European MP's in order to promote UMF and start a connection with those MP's which activity is more related to the Mediterranean  Area at large, not only  in order to grant  visibility to us but also to enhance our possibility to be supported  on the financial side.
UMF Vice President William Portelli (MUBE) announced that the next UMF Plenary Meeting could be held in La Valletta (Malta) probably from 20 to 24 May 2017. 
The Board agreed on the location; dates have to be checked on a two days event  base.
The meeting gave the opportunity to congratulate  Angelo Di Cristo, that was attending it, for being appointed to the crucial position of Head of UNI Finance Department; Angelo addressed the Board speaking about the challenges for Trade Unions at a global level underlining the need for the affiliates to focus their attention on new processes coming from digitalization of the whole service sector.