No final agreement and no new decree today in the Council of Ministers. The meeting on September 16th at Palazzo Chigi on the former Ilva ends with the government's request for update the table with the unions. What changes the picture is the decision of the The Court of Cassation has set the hearing for October 20th. on the appeal against the order imposing the shutdown of the Taranto hot zone. The worker protection measures, initially expected at today's Council of Ministers meeting, will be discussed "when the overall picture is clearer."
After the meeting, however, comes aopening from related companies, willing to suspend layoffs at least until the Supreme Court's ruling. Meanwhile, a technical meeting on social safety nets is scheduled for Friday, September 18th at the Ministry of Labor.
Updated table, decree on workers postponed
Il discussion panel The meeting, along with FIM, FIOM, UILM, USB, and Federmanager, was convened following the rejection of suspension requests submitted by Ilva and Acciaierie d'Italia, currently in extraordinary administration. This is the fourth meeting with the unions at Palazzo Chigi since the beginning of the year, following those on March 5, July 28, and September 8. During the meeting, the Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano He outlined a social protection package, initially announcing his intention to present it to the Council of Ministers today. The scheduled hearing at the Supreme Court of Cassation later prompted the government to request an adjournment of the debate and postpone the measure.
The project remains that of a bridging intervention until the conclusion of the sales tender, adaptable to its performance. For income support, Mantovano has proposed a single emergency safety net, with a model different from the redundancy fund for business closures and protections also extended to workers in related industries.
The supply chain opens to the suspension of layoffs
Il first concrete signal After the meeting, the companies agreed. "We intend to follow through on the government's call to suspend layoffs in related industries at least until the Supreme Court's ruling," he declared. Nicola Convertino, president of Aigi, the association of companies related to the former Ilva.
For the president of the Aepi Confederation, Mino Dinoi, this is "a further act of responsibility on our part, because we understand that the situation is difficult." The timing and methods are yet to be defined in the next few hours. The case concerns a dispute in which Aigi announced collective dismissal procedures for approximately 2.500 people, but has not yet initiated them.
The next operational step is planned for Friday, September 18 at the Ministry of Labor, where a technical committee will be reviewing employee protection measures. Among the options are new redundancy payments for direct employees of Acciaierie d'Italia and a special redundancy fund for those in related industries and contractors. The unions are also calling for recognition of strenuous work, a specific measure on asbestos, and early retirement incentives. For direct employees Coverage is expected for an additional 5.000 workers across the entire group. Currently, the extraordinary fund is authorized for a maximum of 4.500 employees, including 3.800 in Taranto, with actual utilization below the permitted limits.
The Supreme Court will be called on October 20th, but the issue of the industrial future remains.
The hearing of the 20 October will concern the extraordinary appeal against the decree of the Milan Court of Appeal regarding the closure of the hot zone. On September 11, the judges the companies' requests for suspension were rejected, confirming the shutdown scheduled for the end of October. Pending the judicial process, the government confirms its intention to continue the tender for the sale of the plants and to focus on Dri-powered electric furnaces, the pre-reduced. Mantovano also highlighted the launch of reindustrialization projects in the Taranto area, the strengthening of institutional development contracts, and hiring incentives.
For the unionsIncome protection must be accompanied by a productive perspective. Before the meeting, the general secretary of the Fiom Michael DePalma He relaunched the proposal for "a public company that will ensure the continuity of decarbonization and guarantee production and employment." The general secretary of the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) shared the same view. Maurizio Landini, which calls for a halt to layoffs and support for workers, reiterating that "the industrial project must involve the state." The demand is to replace blast furnaces with new technologies, maintaining steel production and jobs.
The Ilva excise duty decree passes in the Chamber of Deputies
On a track distinct from the new provision on social protection, the The Chamber approved the bill at first reading the excise-Ilva decree, with 162 votes in favor, 108 against, and 5 abstentions. The bill now goes to the Senate. In addition to the provisions on the temporary reduction of excise duties on fuel, the decree authorizes further financing of up to 100,5 million euros for 2026 to Acciaierie d'Italia in extraordinary administration. The funds will be transferred by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, at the request of the commissioners, in a single payment, pending the conclusion of the sale procedure.
The financial support is therefore proceeding through the parliamentary process, while the new package for workers remains to be finalized and the discussion on the plant's future awaits the next steps in the union and judicial process.
