The Metropolitan Table for Safeguarding the Productive Heritage is activated upon the request of the parties (trade unions and/or companies). The Table acts in coordination with the Technical Board - established pursuant to Law 223/91 and operating at the Regional Employment Agency (area Bologna and Modena) - in the management of the procedures for collective redundancies and in the activation of the social shock absorbers required by law in order to support the companies in the reorganization, crisis or closing stage.

The Table is responsible for the production units based in the Bologna area; if the company has also offices in other provinces of Emilia-Romagna, or more than 250 employees, the competence is of the Regional Table in coordination with the Metropolitan Table.

The technical staff of the Metropolitan Table works closely with the staff of the Regional Table, exchanging information on crisis situations or reorganization involving companies in the territory of Bologna.

The Metropolitan City and the Region also implement fruitful cooperation in case of large companies with offices in several regions, which are dealt with by the Crisis Disputes Unit of the Ministry of Economic Development.