Unions, govt discuss lengthening lockdown non-essential firm list

(ANSA) - Rome, March 24 - The leaders of Italy's big three union federations on Tuesday spoke by video conference with Industry Minister Stefano Patuanelli and Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri on the unions' request to lengthen the list of non-essential services to be shut down amid the coronavirus crisis.
    CGIL leader Maurizio Landini, CISL leader Annamaria Furlan and UIL leader Carmelo Barbagallo reiterated a strike threat unless the list is lengthened and workers still on the job given greater protection.
    Industrial employers' federation Confindustria spoke about a wartime economy and the risk of losing 100 billion euros a month, urging unions to show "good sense".
    Deputy Economy Minister Antonio Misani said if the unions' requests were "to be shared" the list of non-essential companies, to be closed, would be lengthened.
"We must do everything possible to avert a strike", he said.