26 February, 2015The Italian trade unions CGIL, CISL and UIL are ready to start a labour dispute in Umbria, Italy at ThyssenKrupp’s Terni facility if the company continues its policy of marginalizing the most vulnerable temporary workforce.
“Industrial workers cannot be used as release valves to reduce the tensions resulted from ThyssenKrupp policy at steel plant in Terni of Ast after the agreement on 3 December”, reads the joint union statement of CGIL, CISL and UIL in Terni Umbria.
The agreement was signed after a 40-day long strike in the beginning of December, between unions, employers and different governmental institutions. It guarantees sub-contractual workers their outplacement and training, but according to the union so far this remains only on paper.
The unions believe that the multinational company is bringing to the extreme its strategy to maintain costs at the expense of subcontractors. Out of fear to lose important contracts, they accept the new conditions and shift all charges on the workers. The consequences are already visible; decreased wages, deteriorated rights, as well as modifications in the contracts of sub-contract workers resulting in job losses.
In response to the situation Cgil, Cisl and Uil declared their readiness to start a labour dispute at the ThyssenKrupp steel plant in Terni.
Around 1,500 workers could be affected by the dispute. The unions say that at least one hundred jobs losses are confirmed and believe that number will increase if the company does not review its policy.
The union is seeking a meeting with the leadership of the company and prepares for mobilizations in case workers’ demands are not heard.