Alitalia workers block famed Rome street as government meets unions
- Police in riot gear formed a line across the Via Veneto, where many of Rome's top hotels are located, to prevent the protesters from heading further into the city.
- Rome has been in negotiation with the European Union's executive arm for months over the plan to restructure the firm through the launch of a new, state-owned company called ITA.
ROME: Workers from stricken airliner Alitalia blocked a main road in central Rome on Wednesday as their union representatives met the industry minister to discuss the future of the debt drenched carrier.
Police in riot gear formed a line across the Via Veneto, where many of Rome's top hotels are located, to prevent the protesters from heading further into the city.
"Alitalia=Italy" read one banner.
Unions urged the government on Tuesday to abandon negotiations with Brussels over a proposed business overhaul for the airline, saying the European Commission was favouring foreign carriers over the group.
Rome has been in negotiation with the European Union's executive arm for months over the plan to restructure the firm through the launch of a new, state-owned company called ITA.
The EU has asked for ITA to drop the Alitalia brand, give up as many as half of its slots at Milan city airport, and start without the handling and maintenance divisions of the old carrier, sources had said.
Spinning off maintenance and handling divisions of the old Alitalia and cutting slots will entail a large reduction in both aircraft and staff numbers for the new, state-owned arline. Union leaders, who met Industry Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti to discuss the crisis, have rejected these measures and have objected to losing the Alitalia brand.
"In the meeting with Giorgetti, we will ask the government to restart Alitalia with its own logo, at least 100 fleet planes and all the slots," Ivan Viglietti, head of the Uiltrasporti union, told state broadcaster RAI.
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