Aerospace workers' unions opposed to Alenia Aeronautica's choice of Grottaglie in south-east Italy to assemble Boeing 7E7 fuselage sections took industrial action in November. The unions claim existing Alenia sites near Naples are best suited for the work and called one-day strikes on 11 November at Alenia's Pomigliano d'Arco, Casoria, and Nola plants, near Naples, and on 18 November at Turin.
The unions fear the Grottaglie factory will lead to job cuts in the Naples and Turin areas, although Alenia claims its plans create 300 jobs in design and production engineering at Naples plants. The company says the 7E7 work will not affect Turin, and 100 new jobs will be generated by work on the Eurofighter Typhoon and C-27J.
The unions allege the Grottaglie venture is the product of political interests. The company says a long runway is needed for the modified Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF), which will transport 7E7 fuselage sections to the USA, but Grottaglie's Marcello Arlotta airport has a shorter runway than Naples Capodichino.
Source: Flight International
