ITALY: Alitalia workers make splash in Rome's Trevi fountain in protest over ongoing crisis at the national carrier

Record ID: 823865

  • Title: ITALY: Alitalia workers make splash in Rome's Trevi fountain in protest over ongoing crisis at the national carrier
  • Date: 10th April 2008
  • Summary: PEOPLE WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) DEMONSTRATOR PASQUALE LEON SAYING: "The Alitalia model in the Trevi fountain is a symbol for us that they are letting Alitalia sink for good. The sale that they tried to do with Air France is yet another act to give away a piece of Italy to foreigners."
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Domestic Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVABB3TELXZRLQZOEIUCKLIISI6Q
  • Story Text: Desperate Italian airline workers with Alitalia throw a model aeroplane into Rome's Trevi fountain demonstrating outside Italy's parliament over the ongoing crisis at the national carrier.
    Desperate Alitalia employees decided to make a splash on Thursday (April 10) by throwing a model aeroplane into one of Rome's most famous landmarks, the Trevi fountain.
    Exhausted after months of negotiations regarding the future of Alitalia, many of the airline's workers have become frustrated with their unions who they feel are also blocking any chance to salvage their jobs.
    "The Alitalia model in the Trevi fountain is a symbol for us that they are letting Alitalia sink for good" said protester Pasquale Leon watching a fellow protester get into the fountain to place the model on the fountain statue.
    "The sale that they tried to do with Air France is yet another act to give away a piece of Italy to foreigners" Leon said.
    Earlier some 600 Alitalia employees demonstrated in front of the Italian parliament.
    Italy's government has sought to convince Alitalia's unions that a takeover by Air France-KLM was the ailing carrier's only option, telling labour groups they had a last chance to agree to a deal.
    Air France-KLM walked away from its takeover of Alitalia last week over union opposition, but later suggested its decision to back out was not final.
    The Italian government, in a final push before the country heads to a national election on Sunday and Monday, is meeting the unions to convince them to step down from their demands and resuscitate the deal with the French carrier.

    "We hope that the possibility exists with Air France or with other companies which may exist to give us the possibility to open up clear negotiations that can spell out everyone's responsibilities, which we ourselves are ready to conform to, but that there is a plan for the development of the company" said Alitalia pilot Vincenzo Zarro.
    Employees waved banners and flags outside the parliament as their unions met close by with government officials. One banner read: 'Tibet and Alitalia - the same destiny.' Some employees in recent days have begun forming pro Air France-KLM groups and have even handed back their union badges, local media has reported.
    Alitalia, which meets the unions on Tuesday, says it has cash to last it only for the very short-term. The deal with Air France-KLM was considered its last shot at avoiding bankruptcy.
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