Optician news in brief

After uncertainty over redundancies following the non-renewal of the Armani licence (News 25.05.12), Safilo has signed a deal with the unions at the Ministry of Employment and Social Security in Rome. The agreement will manage redundancies and focus on work organisation and reductions in working hours. Roberto Vedovotto, Safilo CEO, said the deal addressed the unavoidable difficulties that had arisen from the non-renewal.

Football referees in Scotland will continue to be sponsored by Specsavers after a 'six figure' deal was signed recently. Jim Quinn, regional chair of Specsavers in Scotland, said: 'The relationship has progressed over the years from a logo on a shirt to a much closer partnership that benefits the game as a whole.' Nearly 2,500 match officials have been trained since the relationship began in 2002 and both parties said they were looking to increase that figure significantly.