THREE Italian unions have signed a landmark agreement with Amazon covering video surveillance and other employment rights issues.

Details of the deal, which was reported on Saturday, is the first national collective agreement reached with Amazon in any country.

The Filt CGIL, Fit CISL and Uiltrasporti unions said 57 ⁠sites in Italy are now covered in the deal struck with Amazon Italia Transport and Amazon Italia Logistica. 

On video surveillance, the unions say it has been agreed that images cannot be used for disciplinary ‌purposes and workers have won the right to take parental leave in increments as small as a single hour.

A spokesperson for Amazon in Italy said: “We welcome the agreement reached with trade ⁠unions, which introduces new flexibility and work-life balance tools and enhances existing ones, bringing them into a shared ⁠framework for the benefit of our employees and their families.” 

Christy Hoffman, general secretary of Uni Global, the global union federation covering services, digi-tech, finance and logistics, congratulated the Italian unions for their “determination and solidarity” which made the agreement possible. 

“This is what happens when workers stand together and demand to be heard. But collective bargaining cannot be an exception reserved for Italy. Amazon is a global company, and it should recognise that workers’ rights are universal.”