Statement re Italian Ferry Company Tirrenia

1.      The Italian Government has approved the privatisation of the most important Italian ferry company, Tirrenia, but following the close of tenders to purchase, no interest was expressed in purchasing the company.

2.      This is because there has been a strategy to dissolve the company vessel by vessel, service by service, as requested by many Italian ship owners who want to buy certain vessels and routes in order to reduce the competition they have now on specific routes.

3.      This situation will create the removal of thousands of seafarers’ jobs from the cabotage market, the last area of employment for Italian seafarers.

4.      We seek the support of this ITF Section meeting and Congress to demand the Italian Government organise a proper tender procedure regarding Tirrenia and for the efforts of the Italian unions to protect their members’ jobs and support citizens who have the right to have a safe and efficient ferry service within the islands.

Submitted by the Italian unions:
FILT-CGIL
FIT-CISL
UILTRASPORTI

 

 

31-03-2010 www.asca.it