UK union chiefs join Alitalia crisis talks

Officials from Britain's biggest trade union are taking part in last-minute talks in Rome to secure jobs for Alitalia's UK-based staff.

Unite is pressing for measures to ensure that 300 Alitalia-linked jobs at Heathrow Airport are protected in plans being discussed to keep the airline in business.

National officer Steve Turner said: "Our members in the UK must not be forgotten or sacrificed in any plans to restructure Alitalia.

"There are 300 jobs in ground handling, check-in, ticketing, cargo, sales and customer services that depend on a positive outcome from the talks.

"That means 300 people and their families who are now very anxious and need their union to fight all the way to save their jobs, and that is exactly what we will be doing."

Heathrow is Alitalia's largest base outside Italy.

Unite said it is concerned that the focus of the proposals before Italian unions is to restructure the airline, yet it remains unclear how this will impact on the Heathrow operation.

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