For the first time, a round table within the national executive was held in the Umbrian capital Uilca, the main political body of the trade union organisation. The meeting saw the participation of president of the Umbria Region, Donatella Teseiof the president of Confartigianato Imprese Terni, Mauro Franceschiniof the general secretary of Uil Umbria, Maurizio Molinarihe was born in Uilca general secretary, Fulvio Furlan. The central themes of the discussion were commercial pressures and banking desertification.
“Commercial pressures affect both banks and credit companies, but also political institutions and civil society. For this reason, like Uilca, we firmly believe that it is essential to recover the social role of companies” underlined the Uilca general secretary, Fulvio Furlan. “Today’s debate is an example of the direction taken: a broader dialogue involving all the social partners involved. With this same logic, we continue our fight against banking desertification through the ‘Branch closures?’ campaign. No, thanks,’ which led to the creation of a working group at CNEL on the topic, with the support of president Renato Brunetta”.
“The particular shape of Umbria makes the issue of services fundamental. Banking desertification is a national phenomenon with local repercussions. Politics must implement preventive actions against this trend, often ignored by the industrial plans of large banks which neglect the social aspect of credit institutions. It is essential to defend local banks and institutions rooted in the area” declared the president of the Umbria Region, Donatella Tesei.
The general secretary of Uil Umbria, Maurizio Molinariadded: “The closure of banks represents a real social problem. Citizens want to interact with bankers, and the lack of this service also compromises sociability, especially for the elderly. It is essential to remember that bank employees are not just numbers; we must face the social change imposed by new technologies, without forgetting the social importance of credit institutions”.
The president of Confartigianato Imprese Umbria, Mauro Franceschini, expressed concern about the closure of bank branches: “When a bank closes, the human relationship with the credit institution is lost. Technology cannot completely replace this bond; an algorithm is unable to correctly assess the health of a company“.
Data on banking desertification in Umbria
From 2018 to 2023, bank branches in Umbria decreased by 23.7% (102 branches closed)passing by 431 to 329. The municipalities served by banks decreased by 19.2% (from 78 to 63). In 2023, they are 44,652 inhabitants without a bank branch, equal to 5.2% of the population, of which 15,671 are over 60. Luciano Marini, Uilca Umbria regional secretary, underlined: “Banks must recover their social role, supporting communities and businesses and guaranteeing regular access to cash”.
