Alitalia trade union representatives are urging the economic development ministry to put forward a nationalisation plan for the carrier to end uncertainty over its future.

Alitalia trade union representatives are urging the economic development ministry to put forward a nationalisation plan for the carrier to end uncertainty over its future.

Transport union FILT-CGIL leader Fabrizio Cuscito claims that minister Stefano Patuanelli has proposed nationalisation as a possible scenario.

Cuscito says state participation would be “positive” given that certain other European carriers have government involvement, and the strategy of looking to the market for a solution has “not yielded results” for Alitalia.

Alitalia aircraft

Source: Shutterstock

 

He is challenging Patuanelli to explain to the Italian airline’s workers how a nationalisation initiative would be conducted.

“There are almost three years of unfulfilled promises,” says Cuscito, adding that the government needs to give “certainty” to the company’s 11,000 personnel.

Another transport union, FIT-CISL, is dismissing as unrealistic any restructuring of the carrier which involves outsourcing of handling and maintenance.

The union states that hiving off the activities is “not feasible” and has similarly rejected any mass cull of jobs at the company.

Attempts to form a consortium, including involvement from major carriers, to take over Alitalia have so far been unsuccessful.