Overview

• Union-led protests in Taranto included a four-hour strike and the occupation of a major roadway near the Ilva steel plant, disrupting traffic and drawing attention to worker demands.
• The government admitted that the stalled sale of Ilva to Baku Steel is complicated by factors beyond the recent fire at Blast Furnace 1, including regulatory and operational hurdles.
• The number of workers affected by cassa integrazione, currently at 4,000, is expected to rise as production remains halved due to the shutdown of two blast furnaces.
• Officials revealed that repairs to Blast Furnace 2, initially expected to restart in March, will now take several more months to complete.
• Negotiations between the government and unions at Palazzo Chigi ended without resolution and will reconvene next Monday at the Ministry of Labour.