Italian unions ready for next-stage pay and condition talks on behalf of cruise and ferry sector

After lengthy consultation with seafarers in the cruise and high-speed ferry sectors, Italy's three main maritime unions are prepared for the next stage of negotiations to secure the national industry's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the country's two maritime operators associations.

The FILT CGIL, FIT-CISL and UILtrasporti seafarers' unions have focused on working conditions in the sector as well as other problems, ahead of their joint talks with the Italian confederation of shipowners Confitarma and the association for shipowners and operators Assarmatori.

The talks are expected to take place at the beginning of December 2019.

Union consultations also included meetings with the shipmasters' and machine room officers' associations to agree joint approaches ahead of the CBA talks.