The European Transport Workers’ Federation strongly condemns the conclusions announced today by the European Commission regarding the Alitalia/Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A (ITA) case which gives the green light to the new company ITA, to take over part of Alitalia’s operations.
We were shocked that the European Commission could have so easily and without any consideration for workers’ rights taken such a decision. In our opinion, this is a hard blow and a gross violation of the legal existing collective bargaining arrangements in Italy, blowing up the hard efforts of Italian unions and employers in negotiating new working contracts Instead, the EC’s today position is promoting new and potentially precarious labour contracts. The Commission is clearly driven for cost-effectiveness and is doing so at the expense of sustainable aviation, particularly socially sustainable aviation.
Livia Spera, General Secretary of the ETF declares:
This is a slap in the face for Alitalia’s workers, their families and their unions. The Commission’s decision directly impacts the lives of over 11,000 people and their families and to use such rhetoric is both offensive and dismissive of their concerns. In solidarity with our colleagues who were today demonstrating against this unfair and unsustainable approach, I am calling on the European Commission to retract its statement and reconsider the aims of this state aid approval, which do not support a sustainable aviation industry, and do not support the citizens of Europe.
Additionally, the ETF strongly condemns the fact the European Commission has failed to give any consideration to the workers’ legal rights under the European Pillar of Social Rights, including but not limited to the principles of secure and adaptable employment and social dialogue. Moreover, ETF draws attention to the fact that the EC is consciously disregarding any attempts to protect the labour contracts of workers to be hired by the new carrier, ITA.
The ETF is fully supporting the Alitalia Italian workers striking today, in their efforts to reopen negotiations with the new employer, ITA. This must be done with full respect for Italian law, and recognize the right of collective bargaining at national level.
