The match between the Government e ArcelorMittal on 'Ilva probably comes to a tipping point. “We are committed to maintaining at least 10 jobs and we will recognize seniority, i.e. the years of service in the group, and the current salary framework, which will obviously be linked to the commercial plan that will be launched". These are the words spoken today in front of the Senate Industry Commission by Matthieu Jehl, vice president of the Indian giant who – in partnership with Marcegaglia – won the tender to take over the Italian steel group, currently in extraordinary administration.
“We are open to discussions on many contractual points – he added – but first comes the industrial plan, then the environmental plan, then the detailed discussion with the unions on the numbers".
At the beginning of October, the Minister of Economic Development, Carlo Calenda, had interrupted the negotiations with ArcelorMittal precisely because of the Indians' unwillingness to confirm current wage levels. In particular, the Asian group intended to cancel supplementary payments and company seniority accrued by employees. Subsequently, some signs of openness had arrived from ArcelorMittal and the negotiations had resumed.
[Read the comment by Gianfranco Borghini: “Calenda, coups do only damage on Ilva"]
As for the permissions of Brussels, “the European Commission said two weeks ago that phase two of the procedure would begin Antitrust, a more in-depth investigation into the merger – continued Jehl – For a merger of this size it is not something unusual, we take note and are working constructively with the Commission, we want to convince them of the goodness of our solution”.
Some leaks in recent days have revealed that Brussels he would ask Marcegaglia to leave the consortium. Furthermore, according to the EU Antitrust, the Indian group should sell the Piombino plant to avoid reducing competition and driving up prices.
“We need to make a series environmental investments of 1,1 billion euros to bring Ilva back from its current level to best in class – said the vice president of ArcelorMittal again – We have to invest to bring Ilva back to the best level of performance for iron and steel activities”.
Calenda, speaking on Radio Capital, hoped that the Ilva negotiation “will be closed quickly. With hard work we have achieved the recognition of previous salary levels, now continue the comparison to lower the number of redundancies".
