Quasi 10mila people have applied to work in Eng, the new airline that should replace Alitalia with the go-ahead from Brussels and money from the Italian state, but in the face of a drastic slimming cure. The number of applications is paradoxical, because it is close to that of Alitalia's current employees - most of whom are destined to be made redundant - and almost four times the 2.800 seats envisaged for the small (but in theory sustainable) Ita.
Moreover, the 10 candidates have chosen to come forward without knowing yet what the working conditions offered will be, given that a contract agreed between the company and the trade unions it's not there yet. Neither for pilots, nor for flight attendants, nor for ground staff.
Last week, workers' representatives and Ita's top management began discussions, but the undertaking seems to be on the rise.
According to the social partners, the company is not available to enter into real negotiations, being determined to impose a series of penalizing rules on personnel. In fact - is the accusation - as if Ita was really a startup, and not a small review of Alitalia.
On the other hand, in order to authorize public intervention and not trigger the infringement procedure for illegal state aid, the European Commission is asking for exactly this: a clear break between the old Alitalia and the new Ita, which will become operational from 15 October.
Precisely in view of this deadline, the unions are asking the government for an urgent meeting to take stock of the fate of Alitalia's personnel. In a letter addressed to ministers Giovannini (Infrastructure), Patuanelli (Development), Giorgetti (Labour) and Franco (Economy), the workers' representatives recall that "from mid-July 2021, following the agreements between the Italian Government and the European Commission , the process has started which will lead, the 15 October 2021, to the operations of Ita", underlining that "for the effects that will consequently arise, in Alitalia in extraordinary administration and in Cityliner in extraordinary administration, the employment stability of approximately 10.500 direct workers of the two companies in question and of an equal number of indirect workers - in the absence of appropriate initiatives and actions – becomes increasingly at risk”.
