ITA Airways unions threaten strike after salary talks break down

Its unions were negotiating wages as Rome discusses with German carrier Lufthansa the selling of a minority stake in the company. "The company showed unacceptable rigidity by refusing to sign off on the agreement," Claudio Tarlazzi and Ivan Viglietti, from the Uiltrasporti union, said in a statement, adding that this would be the first strike since ITA began flying in 2021.

Unions at Italian airline ITA Airways on Friday threatened to call a strike after the company delayed signing off on a deal over salaries at the state-owned company, and urged the government to intervene on the issue. ITA, the successor of former flagship airline Alitalia, employs around 3,600 workers. Its unions were negotiating wages as Rome discusses with German carrier Lufthansa the selling of a minority stake in the company.

"The company showed unacceptable rigidity by refusing to sign off on the agreement," Claudio Tarlazzi and Ivan Viglietti, from the Uiltrasporti union, said in a statement, adding that this would be the first strike since ITA began flying in 2021. Union sources said the strike might take the form of a four-hour stoppage on Feb. 28.

CGIL union official Fabrizio Cuscito said the refusal to sign off on the agreement amounted to "a lack of respect" to workers and said the government should step into the dispute. ITA told Reuters the issue needed first to be discussed at a board meeting, which has already been called for next week, and asked unions to meet again afterwards.

"As things stand, the company is not in a position to sign the agreement," ITA said.