Alitalia flight attendants are striking for 48 hours starting at just after 12 midnight of Tuesday. The strike is going ahead despite it being banned and the threat of sanction by the Transport minister.
Union secretary Paolo Maras stated that "The real problem is that the government is not doing what it should, and that Cimoli's strategy only consists of staff cuts and other cuts".
The union, Sult, also warned Alitalia management not to "exploit the strike to dramatise the crisis in the company. The airline has other problems, starting with its inability to guarantee fuel prices."
Earlier this year Alitalia said it would no longer recognised Sult as a legitimate talking partner because it had refused to accept new labor contracts which were part of the airline's restructuring plan.
Smaller unions and those representing pilots accepted the new contracts which involved up to 2,500 layoffs, including some 900 cabin staff, longer hours, lower pay and fewer perks. This week's strike will be staged all day Tuesday and Wednesday, from midnight to midnight. Flights will be
guaranteed between 07:00 and 10:00 and 18:00 and 21:00.
Flights to Italy's islands will also run as scheduled.
