Italian metalworkers plan new strikes after talks collapse

Negotiations on a settlement for Italy's 1.3 million metalworkers broke down earlier this month, after the unions judged the employers' latest offer to be unacceptable.

The employers had offered an average monthly increase of €94.50 in return for a six-month extension to the agreement, as well as a one-off payment of €270 for 2005.

But the three main union federations representing metalworkers are looking for increases of at least €100 a month over the whole of the agreement, which should have begun in January 2005.

"It seems that Federmeccanica [the employers] don't want to sign a contract ... and are stepping back from their previous positions," commented Guglielmo Epifani, head of the union confederation CGIL.

There have already been two national strikes in support of the unions' demands, as well as local stoppages. The unions were discussing possible further strike action as Workplace Report went to press.