(Finance) – The Ministry of Economy and Finance has prepared the disbursement of the financial endowment equal to 680 million euros for Invitalia so that he can transfer the sum ad without delay Italian steelworks. This is what the Mef made known in the evening. An announcement following thetoday’s meeting in Confindustria, in Rome, between the trade unions and Acciaierie d’Italia.
“Today’s meeting in Confindustria in Rome with Acciaierie d’Italia allowed the resumption of direct relations between the company and the trade union organizations also in anticipation of the next confrontation with the Government. The company confirmed its forecast to produce in Taranto in 2023 at least 4 million tons of steel with the aim of reaching 5 in 2024 – he says Gianni Venturi, iron and steel manager for the national Fiom-CGIL –. Acciaierie d’Italia has also confirmed that during 2023 the investments will also concern the plants in Genoa with the upgrading of the tin cycle, that of Novi Ligure with a product innovation relating to the zinc-magnesium coating and that of Racconigi for the it concerns in particular the automation of warehouses. This is the start of a process that needs to be consolidated with a comparison in the individual plants to ensure the necessary consistency between investment priorities, in the times of production and employment increases, which at the moment are insufficient and uncertain alongside the start of a technological transition for the environmental sustainability of the productions. In fact, the financial endowment of 680 million euros cannot be used only to deal with the debt situation of Acciaierie d’Italia towards suppliers of raw materials and energy, but must refer to investments of an industrial nature using additional resources which can be found in the private credit market and from the availability of the Pnrr and the Jtf”.
“We felt it was important to meet the company, to explore in detail the hypothesis of the industrial and employment plan, outlined in the last meeting at the Ministry, and to express our doubts and misgivings about the prospects of the largest European steel company. We will continue to judge the company management solely on the basis of merit and on the lack of results obtained, the non-compliance with essential conditions of signed agreements, such as the disproportionate and unilateral use of layoffs.The general lines of the industrial plan have many unknown factors, which is why we will continue to present difficulties and critical issues because we will never abandon this fundamental dispute adrift not only for Taranto but for the whole country – he commented Rocco Palombella, Uilm general secretary in a note –. Over the years we have always maintained that without the refurbishment of the Afo 5 and the verticalisation of the cold systems there will be no future for the plant. We cannot accept that there will be thousands of workers sentenced to layoffs at least until 2024, when the production of 5 million tons is expected, furthermore we cannot wait ten years for the transition to a production model because we will barely arrive with a blast furnace in function. For this reason, the 750 million euros must be linked to the modernization of the plants, to the start of decarbonisation and to guaranteeing a concrete employment, environmental and industrial perspective, they cannot be used only to pay the bills, it would be a fatal mistake. Until I see the elimination of workers in the Cig, the return of workers of those in extraordinary administration and the guarantee for contract workers, a concrete industrial perspective, I will continue without stopping to do what a trade unionist must do: stimulate the Government and the company to safeguard employment and the future of production”.
USB is absent from the meeting. “Although the request was forwarded in time, USB has not received any response and, therefore, will not be present at the meeting scheduled for 2 pm in the Roman headquarters of Confindustria. The only union organization absent, since Fim, Fiom have been summoned , Uilm and Ugl – said the Usb in the morning regarding the meeting on the former Ilva – It is worth remembering that the Usb among employees of Acciaierie d’Italia, former Ilva workers in extraordinary administration and contracts has about 1,800 members, not summoning an organization with these numbers means assuming behavior that literally tramples on the right to be represented. The public side, although not the majority, exists. Therefore, strike a blow in defense of the principles at the basis of democracy”.