• About EIRO
• Annual reports
• Comparative Information
• EU level developments
• Browse by:
  • Country
  • Sector
  • Date
• Industrial relations links

Italy

Background information on industrial relations in Italy

• 18 Dec 2003
  Italy: Undeclared work increases

  A series of studies published in 2003 indicates that Italy’s hiddenor irregular economy continues to grow. According to the most recent figures, 3.5 million workers out of a total labour force of around 23.5 million are irregular, a rate of around 15%. The growth of undeclared work is matched by that of the hidden economy, which is worth between 15.2% and 16.9% of GDP. The hidden economy is particularly important in the South and in certain economic sectors. The Cgil trade union confederation has called for new measures to deal with the problem.

• 09 Dec 2003
  Italy: Unions hold joint protests against terrorism

  In November 2003, the regional organisations of Italy's Cgil, Cisl and Uil trade union confederations jointly organised a day of protests against terrorism in Tuscany, following accusations of collusion between some union members and the Red Brigades terrorist group. Representatives of most political parties participated in the protests, which included demonstrations in Florence, Arezzo and Pisa.

• 09 Dec 2003
  Italy: Fiom-Cgil holds strike in metalworking

  On 7 November 2003, the Fiom-Cgil trade union organised an eight-hour strike in the Italian metalworking industry as part of its campaign for the reopening of negotiations on the sector's collective agreement, which was signed in May 2003 by employers and the other two main metalworkers' unions, Fim-Cisl and Uilm-Uil. Reports differ greatly on the level of participation in the strike.

• 13 Nov 2003
  Italy: ETUC organises demonstration in Rome

  On 4 October 2003, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) staged a demonstration in Rome, in collaboration with Italy's main union confederations, on the occasion of the opening of the EU Intergovernmental Conference, which will consider a new constitutional Treaty. The demonstration called for the Treaty to include a strong social dimension.

• 13 Nov 2003
  Italy: General strike held against budget law and pension reform

  On 24 October 2003, Italy’s main trade union organisations held a one-day general strike to protest against the government's 2004 state budget law and its proposals for the reform of the pension system. Estimates of the proportion of workers who took part in the action vary from 70% to 30%,

• 13 Nov 2003
  Italy: Agreement signed for employees of local public bodies

  In October 2003, trade unions and the Italian public sector bargaining agency, Aran, signed a national collective agreement for employees of regional, provincial and local authorities and other local bodies. The agreement provides for an overall monthly wage increase of EUR 106 and makes changes to bargaining and consultative structures.

• 30 Oct 2003
  Italy: Debate over inflation and incomes policy

  In October 2003, an upturn in inflation has sparked debate between the Italian social partners on its structural causes and how it can be brought back into line with the forecast rate of inflation. The Ministry of Production Activities has begun consultations with the social partners and consumers’ organisations in order to draw up intervention measures. From the point of view of industrial relations, the main issue is the future of the incomes policy system.

• 30 Oct 2003
  Italy: Report highlights problems of training system

  In September 2003, the Isfol research institute presented a report which highlights the problems of the Italian training system. Some 60% of the working population has completed only compulsory education, the school drop-out rate is the highest in Europe and only 25% of companies organise training courses for their employees. In 2001-2 , only a little more than 30% of workers in the private sector took part in any training initiatives.

• 30 Oct 2003
  Italy: Fiom-Cgil continues campaign for reopening of negotiations on metalworking agreement

  In autumn 2003, the Fiom-Cgil trade union is continuing its campaign for the reopening of negotiations on the metalworking sector collective agreement, which was signed in May 2003 by employers and the other two main metalworkers' unions, Fim-Cisl and Uilm-Uil. As well a series of strikes, Fiom-Cgil has initiated company-level bargaining to concludepre-agreements- company agreements intended to anticipate the contents of a future new sectoral accord - and thereby compel the employers’ associations to reopen national negotiations. The employers' associations have reacted sharply to Fiom’s initiative, while some firms have concluded such pre-agreements.

• 30 Oct 2003
  Italy: Landmark ruling on reinstatement of temporary agency worker

  Temporary agency work is spreading rapidly in Italy. However, the use of agency workers by firms is in many cases thought to be in breach of the legislation on the issue, which notably permits such workers to be used only on specific grounds. In late August 2003, the Bologna labour tribunal ordered the TIM mobile telephone company to reinstate a temporary agency worker on an open-ended contract at a call centre in the city. The tribunal found that the company had failed to provide the justification required by law for the use of an agency worker. This is the first such judicial decision and may mark a turning point in the unlawful use of this type of labour.

• 23 Oct 2003
  Italy: Thematic feature - works councils and other workplace employee representation and participation structures

  This article examines the Italian situation, as of September 2003, with regard to works councils and similar workplace employee representation and participation structures. It looks at the regulatory framework, statistical data, evidence on practice and the views of the social partners.

• 22 Oct 2003
  Italy: Government approves 2004 budget law

  In September 2003, the Italian government approved the 2004 state budget law, which provides for EUR 16 billion worth of spending cuts and new revenue-generating measures. While employers' organisations have responded cautiously to the law, trade unions are harshly critical of the budget and a linked pensions reform, and have called a four-hour general strike in protest.

• 21 Oct 2003
  Italy: New rules on general strikes in essential public services

  In September 2003, Italy’s Guarantee Authority on strikes in essential public services set out rules to be observed by public sector workers in the event of a general strike called by trade union confederations. The rules cover matters such as the provision of minimum services and were drawn up with trade union input.

• 21 Oct 2003
  Italy: 'Reformist' Cgil officials meet

  In September 2003, more than 600 officials of Cgil, one of Italy's three main trade union confederations, met and approved a document addressed to Cgil’s executive, calling for a debate on the organisation's direction and decisions. Thereformistgroup is concerned about matters such as a perceivedpoliticisationof Cgil's activities and its strained relations with the other two union confederations, Cisl and Uil.

• 01 Oct 2003
  Italy: Government seeks further structural reform of pension system

  Reform of the pension system is again one of the Italian government's top priorities in September 2003, in the context of discussions on the 2004 state budget law. In order to curb spending on pensions, the government intends to modify key aspects of the system. It proposes to: raise the retirement age; introduce incentives to encourage people of pensionable age to remain in work; pay employees' end-of-service allowances into a supplementary pension scheme; and curtail the advantages of workers covered by special pension schemes. Some aspects of the reform will be subject to dialogue with the social partners, which are largely opposed to the changes proposed.

• 30 Sep 2003
  Italy: Thematic feature - implementation of the EU framework equal treatment Directive

  This article examines the Italian situation, as of August 2003, with regard to the implementation and impact of the 2000 EU Directive establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, which seeks to combat discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation.

• 09 Sep 2003
  Italy: Latest developments in 'semi-subordinate' and 'employer-coordinated freelance' work

  In recent years,atypicalwork – and particularlysemi-subordinatework (midway between dependent employment and self-employment) – has played a key role in employment growth in Italy, accounting for more than 40% of new jobs created. The most important of the non-dependent atypical forms of work isemployer-coordinated freelancework. Unlike temporary work, this form of employment relationship has continued to increase, at an average growth rate of 12% per year, and now involves almost 2.4 million workers. This increase has been matched by a substantial growth, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, of collective bargaining covering such workers, which has led to important agreements being reached not only at the company and territorial level but also at the sectoral and national levels. This article examines the situation in mid-2003.

• 09 Sep 2003
  Italy: National collective agreements signed for tourism sector

  Two national collective agreements for workers in the Italian tourism sector were signed in July 2003. The agreements' main provisions include an 11.5% wage increase over four years, the introduction of a supplementary health insurance scheme and the enhancement of decentralised bargaining.

• 09 Sep 2003
  Italy: National collective agreement signed for insurance sector

  A new national collective agreement for the Italian insurance sector was signed in July 2003. As well as pay increases, the agreement contains a number of innovatory provisions, including: the creation of a national observatory on bullying, the establishment of a fund for the care of disabled workers; and enhanced information and consultation, including on equal opportunities issues.

• 04 Aug 2003
  Italy: Agreement promotes women's employment in Rome’s ICT companies

  In July 2003, the municipality of Rome and the local employers' organisation, the Industrialists’ Union, signed an agreement to increase women’s presence in the city's information and communications technology (ICT) companies and improve the skills and qualifications of women already employed in the sector.

• 04 Aug 2003
  Italy: National agreement signed for food sector

  In July 2003, a new national collective agreement was signed for the 270,000 workers in the Italian food and beverages sector. As well as providing for a pay increase of 6.55% over two years, the agreement strengthens joint industrial relations structures, with a new joint body in charge of training, and introduces greater flexibility in working time and forms of employment.

• 04 Aug 2003
  Italy: National agreement signed for postal workers

  In July 2003, a new national collective agreement for Italy's 200,000 postal workers was signed by Poste Italiane SpA and sectoral trade unions. The deal provides for a 7.5%. pay increase over two years, as well as introducing a new job classification system and greater flexibility in working time and forms of employment.

• 28 Jul 2003
  Italy: Social partners sign pact for development

  In June 2003, after five months of negotiations, the Confindustria employers' confederation and the three main trade union confederations (Cgil, Cisl and Uil) signed a pact aimed at relaunching development, employment and competitiveness in Italy. The agreement focuses on research, training, the South of Italy and infrastructure, and seeks to influence the government's future economic policy.

• 22 Jul 2003
  Italy: Thematic feature - posted workers

  This article examines the Italian situation, as of June 2003, with regard to: legislation and collective bargaining on the pay and conditions of posted workers (ie workers from one EU Member State posted by their employer to work in another); the number of such posted workers; and the views of the social partners and government on the issue.

• 22 Jul 2003
  Italy: Draft legislation on labour market reform approved

  In June 2003, the Italian government approved a draft decree enacting the recentproxy lawon employment and the labour market. The decree envisages numerous measures and innovations in terms of employment services and contracts - such as staff leasing, on-call work, project work and work/training contracts - and of the involvement of the social partners in management of the labour market. Before the decree is finally passed, it will be discussed by the government and the social partners, which have differing views on the proposals.

• 09 Jul 2003
  Italy: Referendum on dismissals rules fails owing to low turn-out

  A referendum on extending the right to reinstatement for unfairly dismissed workers provided by Article 18 of the Workers' Statute to all companies (it currently applies only to those with over 15 workers) was held in Italy in June 2003. However, it failed because only 25.7% of the Italian electorate went to the polls, while a turn-out of more than 50% was needed to make the referendum valid. The referendum reopened divisions between the trade unions.

• 30 Jun 2003
  Italy: Survey examines company initiatives and agreements on reconciling work and family life

  Measures implemented by companies to help their employees in reconciling work and family responsibilities are still relatively rare in Italy. However, the findings of a survey, published in 2003, highlight a number of interestingfamily-friendlyschemes introduced by Italian companies in recent years. The survey indicates that these companies provide a varied mix of measures, including innovative working time arrangements and telework, company services for families and childcare, allowances and benefits, and specific career-support measures for employees with family commitments.

• 25 Jun 2003
  Italy: Trade unions under threat from terrorism

  During 2003, Italian trade unions - and especially the Cisl confederation - have been repeatedly threatened and attacked by terrorist groups (with 43 such attacks, including 12 fire-bombings, recorded between July 2002 and May 2003). The minister of the interior has highlighted the threat to unions in parliament and in June the three main confederations agreed a united response to the attacks.

• 12 Jun 2003
  Italy: Confindustria holds annual assembly

  In May 2003, Confindustria, Italy’s main employers’ association, held its annual assembly. Its president, Antonio D’Amato, addressed some key issues in his address, including the reform of the pension system, Italy’s economic recovery, the tax burden, welfare reform, labour market reform, the public administration, the resources to be allocated to research, and Southern Italy.

• 11 Jun 2003
  Italy: Public sector workers hold strike

  On 19 May 2003, workers in many parts of the Italian public sector went on strike to push for the opening of negotiations over the renewal of their collective agreements (which expired at the end of 2001) and support their demands. Participation in the strike was very high, especially in hospitals, nursery schools and social security offices.

• 11 Jun 2003
  Italy: Rsu union elections held at Fiat Mirafiori plant

  In May 2003, elections to Rsu trade union representation bodies were held at Fiat's largest plant in Italy, the Mirafioiri site in Turin. Fiom-Cgil won the largest share of the vote, while Fim-Cisl came second (and first in the plant's important bodywork department).

• 27 May 2003
  Italy: First sectoral agreement signed for Italian railways

  After lengthy negotiations, the first sectoral agreement for the Italian railway industry was signed in April 2003. The most important aspect of this deal is the extension to the railway sector of the two-tier collective bargaining structure (sectoral and decentralised), which was introduced in most Italian industries by a July 1993 national tripartite agreement. Among other innovations, the railway sector agreement includes a new personnel classification system and provides for flexible forms of employment. It represents a notable renewal of sectoral industrial relations, carried out in the framework of the current liberalisation of the railway sector based on EU rules.

• 27 May 2003
  Italy: Metalworking agreement signed without Fiom-Cgil

  In May 2003, after four months of intense negotiations, a draft deal on the renewal of the Italian metalworking sector collective agreement for the period 2003-6 was signed by the Federmeccanica employers' organisation and the Fim-Cisl and Uilm-Uil trade unions. However, the Fiom-Cgil union did not sign the agreement and harshly criticised its provisions. As well as pay increases, the new agreement envisages the creation of a new job classification system, the establishment of a sectoral joint body and some measures on continuing training.

• 23 May 2003
  Italy: Government transposes EU working time Directive

  In April 2003, nearly 10 years after its adoption, the EU working time Directive was finally transposed fully into Italian law when the cabinet definitively approved legislative decree 66/2003. The new regulations came into force on 29 April. The decree, as well as implementing the Directive, sets out in a single text the regulations on working time which have accumulated over the years as a result of successive legislation. It regulates normal weekly working time, overtime, daily rest, breaks, weekly rest periods, annual leave, night work and derogations. The trade unions have criticised the method and contents of the decree.

• 07 May 2003
  Italy: National collective agreement signed for print workers

  In April 2003, a new sectoral collective agreement was signed for some 8,000 Italian print workers. As well as a 4.6% pay increase over two years, the deal provides for increased occupational pension contributions, examination of a new job classification system and the creation of various new joint committees.

• 07 May 2003
  Italy: Unions and government discuss pensions reform

  In April 2003, Italy's three main trade union confederations, Cgil, Cisl and Uil, met the Minister of Labour to discuss the content of aproxy lawon reform of the pension and social security system, currently under discussion in parliament. The unions made a number of proposals for amendments to the legislation, and threatened action if their demands were not met.

• 30 Apr 2003
  Italy: Reform of schools system adopted

  In March 2003, the Italian parliament approved a reform of the schools system. The changes include a new combined school/work path for students between the ages of 15 and 18, as well as greater choice and decentralisation. Trade unions are largely opposed to the reform, while employers are in favour.

• 30 Apr 2003
  Italy: Cgil presents package of four bills on labour market reform

  In March 2003, Cgil, the largest Italian trade union confederation, presented four voter initiativebills to parliament, having collected over 5 million signatures in their support. The bills aim to: reform the social shock absorbersand employment protection system; provide greater guarantees against unfair dismissal; speed up the arbitration of dismissal disputes; and extend the rights of atypicalworkers. The voter initiative bills are intended to act as a legislative alternative to a bill on reform of the labour market which the government has submitted to parliament.

• 10 Apr 2003
  Italy: Trade unions protest against terrorism

  In March 2003, the three main Italian trade union confederations - Cgil, Cisl and Uil - called a 15-minute nationwide work stoppage and held a joint meeting of their executive committees, to express opposition to terrorism. The unions were responding to the killing of a police officer by the Red Brigades terrorist group.

• 09 Apr 2003
  Italy: General strike held against war in Iraq

  On 21 March 2003, the three main Italian trade union confederations - Cgil, Cisl and Uil - organised a two-hour general strike in protest against the war in Iraq.

• 09 Apr 2003
  Italy: Agreement on workforce reduction and working time signed at Nestlé

  In February 2003, an agreement was signed by management and trade unions at the Nestlé plant in Perugia, Italy, which deals with the employment consequences of a restructuring plan. Nearly 200 workers will leave the company, with financial assistance, while the employment of part-time and seasonal workers will be stabilised. The agreement also introduces more flexible working time through a new shift system.

• 09 Apr 2003
  Italy: Redundancy agreement signed at Marconi

  Following the announcement of job losses by the Italian subsidiaries of the Marconi telecommunications group, in March 2003 an agreement was concluded by management and trade unions which cuts the number of planned redundancies from 1,100 to 430. A number of measures will be used to cushion the job losses, and the remaining workers will share the burden through working time reductions and rotating use of the wages guarantee fund.

• 03 Apr 2003
  Italy: Focus on equal opportunities and gender policies

  In February 2003, Article 51 of the Italian Constitution was amended so as to enable measures to promote a balanced gender participation in public offices and elected positions. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour organised a major conference on women and the labour market. Gender issues have thus achieved an arguably unprecedented prominence on the Italian political agenda. This feature examines the latest initiatives, the background and the latest data on women and employment.

• 01 Apr 2003
  Italy: New collective agreement signed for ministry employees

  In February 2003, a new collective agreement for the 280,000 employees of Italian ministries was signed, concluding negotiations which had lasted for 14 months. The deal complies with a framework agreement on public sector bargaining reached in February 2002 in terms of its pay provisions. It also contains innovative provisions on preventing and combating sexual harassment and bullying at the workplace.

• 01 Apr 2003
  Italy: Legislation on social security and pensions reform approved

  In February 2003, the Italian Chamber of Deputies approved a proposal for a proxy lawreforming the social security system, and notably pensions. The key features of the proposed law include the liberalisation of the retirement age, new economic incentives to encourage people of pensionable age to remain in work, reduced social security contributions for newly-recruited workers, and support for supplementary pension schemes. The bill now passes to the Senate, where its definitive approval appears a foregone conclusion. All the trade union confederations have declared their opposition to the reform.

• 26 Mar 2003
  Italy: 2002 Annual Review for Italy

  This record reviews 2002’s main developments in industrial relations in Italy.

• 14 Mar 2003
  Italy: Trade unions and Confindustria resume dialogue

  On 26 February 2003, the Confindustria employers' confederation and the Italy's three main trade union confederations (Cgil, Cisl and Uil) launched a dialogue aimed at tackling the problems facing Italian industry - the first such bilateral negotiations for 10 years. Dialogue will continue at fournegotiating tablesdealing with infrastructures and energy, research and innovation, training and development of the South.

• 14 Mar 2003
  Italy: Cgil holds general strike

  On 21 February 2003, the Cgil trade union confederation held a general strike against the responses of the government and employers to the current problems of Italian industry. Estimates of the level of participation in the strike - which was not supported by the other main union confederations - varied widely.

• 14 Mar 2003
  Italy: Legislation on labour market reform adopted

  In February 2003, after a lengthy and controversial legislative and negotiating process, the Italian parliament approved a proxy lawon reform of the labour market. The reforms relate to areas such as job placement services, new forms of employment contract and part-time work. The government plans to issue decrees to implement the law by June 2003.

• 11 Mar 2003
  Italy: Company law reformed

  In January 2003, the Italian government approved a reform of the company law rules governing limited liability and joint-stock companies and cooperatives, which will come into force in 2004. Employers have generally welcomed the reform, while trade unions view it as a missed opportunity to enhance employee involvement.

• 10 Mar 2003
  Italy: Government issues White Paper on welfare state

  In February 2003, the Italian government published a White Paper on the welfare state. The document is not a completed package of proposals, but is intended to provide the basis for discussion of a new model of social policy with trade unions and employers' organisations. The stated aim is to introduce a decentralised system of social protection, with selective and flexible measures tailored to the needs of local communities and managed at the local level. Talks with the social partners should be completed by the end of April 2003.

• 07 Mar 2003
  Italy: Milan taxi drivers protest against increase in licences

  In January 2003, taxi drivers in Milan staged a series of protests against the city council’s plan to increase the number of cab licences. The regional and provincial governments intervened in the dispute in an attempt to find a solution. The Guarantee Commission which oversees application of the law on strikes in essential public services also started a procedure to assess whether these rules had been breached. In February, taxi drivers' representatives and the Milan provincial government reached a deal on the dispute.

• 12 Feb 2003
  Italy: Milan agreement on reconciling work and family life

  In January 2003, an innovative agreement on reconciling work and private life was signed in Milan by local trade union organisations and the Apimilano association of small and medium-sized employers. The accord provide for a number of projects in this area, notably aimed at helping working parents.

• 12 Feb 2003
  Italy: Cgil calls general strike

  Italy's Cgil trade union confederation has called a four-hour general strike for 21 February 2003, in protest against the policies of the government and employers, which it sees as contributing to the decline of Italian industry. The other two main union confederations, Cisl and Uil, did not join the strike call and have been very critical of Cgil's initiative.

• 12 Feb 2003
  Italy: Referendum on dismissals rules approved

  In January 2003, the Italian Constitutional Court declared valid a proposal for a referendum put forward by two political parties and the Fiom-Cgil metalworkers' trade union. The referendum seeks to extend the right to reinstatement for unfairly dismissed workers provided by Article 18 of the Workers' Statute to all companies (it currently applies only to those with over 15 workers). The referendum is likely to take place between April and June 2003.

• 31 Jan 2003
  Italy: Government issues corporate social responsibility proposals

  In December 2002, the Italian government presented proposals on corporate social responsibility (CSR), with the aim of making an active contribution to the current European Union debate on the subject. The government's objective is to produce, during its Presidency of the Union in the second half of 2003, an EUstandardon CSR.

• 22 Jan 2003
  Italy: Eni signs agreement on transnational industrial relations and social responsibility

  In November 2002, Eni, the Italian-based energy company, became the latest multinational to conclude a global agreement on corporate social responsibility and industrial relations. The accord, signed by Italian and international trade union organisations, lays down a number of principles relating to workers' rights and other social responsibility matters for the group's 70,000 workers worldwide, and establishes a world-level union-management information and consultation forum.

• 20 Jan 2003
  Italy: Agreement signed on reorganisation of IntesaBci bank

  In December 2002, IntesaBci, Italy's largest banking group, signed an agreement with trade unions, providing for the use of the banking sector'ssolidarity fundto encourage 5,700 employees to depart voluntarily, mainly through early retirement. The workforce reductions result from a major three-year restructuring plan drawn up by company.

• 16 Jan 2003
  Italy: Report examines industrial relations in 2000-1

  In December 2002, the Italian Council for Economic Affairs and Labour (Cnel) presented its annual report on collective bargaining, wages and labour costs in Italy, covering 2000-1. The report, drafted by the Cesos research institute on behalf of Cnel, highlights the necessity of reforming the present collective bargaining structure, and sparked a debate among the government and social partners.

• 09 Jan 2003
  Italy: Social partners oppose government's devolution proposals

  Italy's centre right-right government has proposed a constitution reform, which will devolve further powers to the regions. The proposal, which came a step nearer to adoption when it was approved by the Senate in December 2002, would give regions exclusive legislative powers in areas such as education, healthcare and public safety. Both trade unions and employers' organisations are opposed to the reform.

• 08 Jan 2003
  Italy: Decentralised bargaining in the public sector examined

  The findings of a survey of industrial relations and personnel policies at the decentralised level in the Italian public sector, conducted by the Aran public sector bargaining agency, were published in 2002. The survey examines decentralised bargaining during the 1998-2001 collective agreement period, the first after a major reform of public sector industrial relations in 1997 . On the basis of a sample which is probably Italy's largest and most systematically analysed as regards this issue, the results yield interesting insights and highlight positive and negative aspects.

• 08 Jan 2003
  Italy: European Social Forum discusses labour issues

  In November 2002, the first European Social Forum was held in Florence, Italy, to discuss globalisation and related matters from a critical perspective. The meeting was particularly notable because, for the first time, major European trade unions engaged directly in dialogue with the opponents of globalisation. Along with a major presence of national unions from Italy and other European countries, it was regarded as significant that the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) was directly involved in the proceedings.

• 08 Jan 2003
  Italy: Recent trends in company-level industrial relations in Lombardy

  The findings of a survey of company-level industrial relations in the Lombardy region of Italy, published in 2002, examines how management and workers’ representatives are dealing with new challenges thrown up by changes such as increasing competition. A key finding is that workers’ organisations are not losing ground in terms of exerting influence at the workplace, but rather emerging as legitimate counterparts acknowledged by management in dealing with a significant number of important issues, including labour flexibility.

• 07 Jan 2003
  Italy: Unions reject agreement on Fiat restructuring

  In December 2002, the management of Fiat and the Italian government reached aprogramme agreementon the reorganisation of the company's troubled automobile division. The trade unions have sharply criticised the deal and taken industrial action in protest, since they believe that the impact on employment is excessive and that the guarantees provided for the company's revival are insufficient.