Assets of the troubled ILVA steel
group that have been put up for sale by the government include
seven subsidiary companies, according to a tender offer
published Tuesday.
The companies are Ilva Servizi Marittimi, Ilvaform, Innse
Cilindri, Sanac, Taranto Energia, Socova and Tillet.
Industry Minister Federica Guidi signed a decree putting
ILVA facilities up for sale on Monday as part of efforts by the
government to keep the struggling steel manufacturer alive.
Prospective buyers have until February 10 to present their
bids.
The tender is open to individual companies or alliances of
all nationalities that are able to "ensure production
continuity" and maintain "adequate employment levels" at ILVA.
Also on Tuesday, unions representing workers at ILVA's
Cornigliano plant near Genoa threatened a strike next Monday
after failing to reach an agreement with company representatives
over pay.
Unions are asking ILVA to allow employees on solidarity
contracts to work an additional week per month in order to
sustain income levels.
However, the company claims it does not have the resources
to increase working hours.
ILVA has been placed under special administration as the
troubled firm goes through a massive environmental clean-up and
financial turnaround project.
The company has employed some 20,000 people and been blamed
for decades of environmental degradation and high levels of
cancer at its plant in the southern port city of Taranto.
Separately on Tuesday, Cardinal Bagnasco, archbishop of
Genoa and president of the Italian Bishops Conference, said ILVA
"is an affair that doesn't only concern Genoa or Taranto, but
the whole country".
"I hope that wise, far-sighted and concrete decisions can
be taken by those in responsibility, beginning with the
government, and that they might protect heath, the workers and
also Italian excellence," Bagnasco said.
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