Alitalia unions threaten October 9th Strike action

Published: 26/09/06

Trade unions acting on behalf of the employees of Alitalia have called for a 24-hour strike on 9th October as restructuring talks being held with the airline management have hit further problems. The latest strike, which is in addition to one that will be held on September 29th, comes as opposition for plans by the airline to divest itself of several areas of its business.

The departments currently under threat of being outsourced are the airline’s information technology and administrative areas, which are seen by many insiders as hurdles for a return to profitability by Alitalia.

Meetings aimed at preventing the strike are due to continue all week, and union representatives have called on the Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi to intervene and prevent the business being further split, and many jobs lost.

In addition to the fears about the airline reducing its cost overheads by shedding departments, there are also suggestions that it will move more of its activity to Rome Fiumicino airport rather than continuing with its current two hub business model, which sees many flights operate via Milan.

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