Former Ilva: no decree issued at today’s Council of Ministers meeting; talks with the trade unions have been rescheduled
Decree on measures to support workers put on hold: awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling on the closure of the hot zone ordered by the Milan Court of Appeal
A commitment to a green future for steel produced in Taranto, based on electric furnaces fuelled by DRI (which are already available and can be integrated where necessary), continuation of the tender process for the sale of the plants, protection of workers – both in the steelworks and in related industries – through a short-time working scheme that differs from the Cig scheme for cessation of operations, and the launch of reindustrialisation projects in the Taranto area.
These are the key points of the government’s strategy for the former Ilva site, which, according to reports, were outlined by the Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Alfredo Mantovano to the trade unions during the meeting at Palazzo Chigi (a meeting convened for the 20th time since 23 October 2023).
Government decree postponed
Mantovano had announced that the government intends to present a decree containing measures to support workers to the Council of Ministers today. However, the move has been postponed following news that the Court of Cassation has set 20 October as the date for the hearing to discuss the extraordinary appeal against the Milan Court of Appeal’s decree ordering the closure of the hot area of the former Ilva site. The Government has asked the trade unions to reschedule the talks.
“Following the confirmation of the Milan Court of Appeal’s ruling ordering the closure of the so-called ‘hot’ area of the Taranto plants – Mantovano explained to the trade unions – the government is drawing up a measure to provide the necessary social safeguards, in a draft decree to be presented to the Council of Ministers today, through a new model of redundancy scheme that differs from the CIG scheme for cessation of business. In essence, the single emergency redundancy scheme will be used, rather than the one for business closure.”
“This,” added Mantovano, “is a stopgap measure pending the conclusion of the tender process, which allows for flexibility depending on how the tender progresses. Workers in related industries will not be left out of this emergency regulatory measure by the government, alongside the immediate launch of a reindustrialisation process involving all parties with projects and investments in the Taranto area, including the defence sector. To this end, the role of the Institutional Development Contracts (CIS) will be strengthened and incentives for recruitment will be provided.”
