The metalworking unions raise the issue of Acciaierie d’Italia in extraordinary administration and are pressuring Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. In fact, the general secretaries of Fim, Fiom and Uilm, Uliano, De Palma and Palombella, addressed her, asking for a meeting. And just a few days ago the national secretaries of the three acronyms delegated to the steel industry wrote to the steelworks commissioners asking them for a meeting. Why, then, this double reminder, taking into account that Palazzo Chigi has held several meetings on the former Ilva with the unions and that the last one took place just before Easter? It was March 25, in fact, and the Government – with the ministers Urso, Calderone and Giorgetti and the undersecretary to the presidency, Mantovano – met with both the trade unions and related associations to inform them of what had been done. But almost two months following the start of the extraordinary administration, the unions say they are not satisfied.
The unions: we still don’t see a change of pace
Despite knowing that the situation is very difficult and that the picture that has emerged is even worse than estimated, the unions complain that no change of pace has yet been seen. The climate has indeed changed, the approach towards workers’ organizations is now relaxed and no longer conflictual as with the management of the former CEO Lucia Morselli, but there are still not the expected answers on an industrial level (Urso said it will arrive shortly ) and on how the 150 million made available to Acciaierie in extraordinary administration by Ilva in extraordinary administration will be used. Even regarding layoffs, it is known that a new procedure will be opened, but it is not yet known whether it will be used more massively – currently it is 3 thousand as the maximum number – given that the factory is largely at a standstill. Furthermore, the unions complain, there is no news on the restart of what has been inactive for months. The steel industry continues to march with only one blast furnace, number 4, and moreover at a reduced pace because there are no raw materials.
AdI commissioners working on three dossiers
In the meantime, an industrial plan to be presented as soon as possible in support of the 320 million MEF bridge loan, which the European Commission must authorise, a maintenance plan to spend the 150 million from Ilva in extraordinary administration and an extension of the rental contract through which the commissioners will also of Acciaierie manage the plants and factories, as did the company in which ArcelorMittal and Invitalia were: here are the three dossiers on which the commissioners of AdI, Quaranta, Fiori and Tabarelli are working. As for the industrial plan, we learn, it will not be prospective, as is usually understood, it does not yet have any distinctive elements, but will be linked to what the EU requests for the bridge loan. In essence, the EU is willing to endorse the 320 million but asks to know its finalization. The Brussels Commission wants to understand if they are an important step in the relaunch, or a support for a company that has no liquidity and risks sinking. In the meantime, the check up on the systems has been completed and confirmed (and expanded) the already known critical issues. But where will we start with the restoration by starting to spend the 150 million? The critical issues are evident, they are present in the company. And having the production of cast iron but not having the steel mill solves nothing. Just like having steel and not being able to use rolling trains. And then we will start gradually by putting the lines in place one following the other: agglomeration, blast furnace, steelworks and rolling mill, to then move on to the second blast furnace and the second steelworks. The 150 million obviously won’t be enough and that’s why there is also the 320. On the other hand, on the rental contract, the commissioners of the two companies are working on the extension but it is not yet known how much it will be. The times will be defined according to the industrial plan.
First aid for related industries
On the related industries front, meanwhile, companies are waiting for the AdI commissioners to complete the certification of credits in order to be able to access the measures implemented by Sace, while those of Mediocredito Centrale with the guarantee fund are already active. They are included in decree no. 9 of 2 February 2024, which became law no. 28 of March 15th. This is what the extraordinary administration envisaged for Acciaierie d’Italia. In particular, says Mediocredito, the admissibility of companies in band 5 of the evaluation model of the Guarantee Fund (those with the worst creditworthiness which are ordinarily excluded), the free intervention and the increase in coverage percentages is envisaged. 80% for direct guarantee and 90% for reinsurance. The measures concern SME suppliers and creditors of companies that manage at least one industrial plant of national strategic interest admitted to the extraordinary administration procedure. The beneficiary companies must have produced, in the last five financial years preceding the guarantee application, at least 35% of the overall average turnover for the client company subjected to extraordinary administration procedures. In this case Acciaierie d’Italia.
#Ilva #unions #pressing #relaunch
2024-04-19 02:47:34
