Unions representing Alitalia workers said Thursday talks set for March 25 with Air France-KLM on its buyout bid for the Italian carrier would only go ahead if the French-Dutch airline drops its "take it or leave it" approach, according to dpa. Alitalia President Maurizio Prato speaking after three hours of talks with union leaders in Rome said they had agreed to fresh talks with Air France-KLM head Jean-Cyril Spinetta next Tuesday. But the scheduled talks "will only make sense if there is room to change" Air France-KLM's offer, said Mauro Rossi head of the largest union in the talks, FILT CGIL. Spinetta speaking on Wednesday following his first round of talks with the unions said that given Alitalia's financial crisis there was "very little margin" to change the conditions of Air France-KLM's offer, including cutting some 2,100 jobs. Meanwhile the buyout of the Italian's state controlling stake in Alitalia has become a major issue in the campaign ahead of Italy's April 13-14 elections. Silvio Berlusconi, who according to opinion polls is poised to become prime minister again, on Wednesday described Air France-KLM's offer as "unacceptable" and called for a new, Italy-based offer. "This operation would be backed by a string of banks ... and other business leaders which could also include my children," the billionaire-turned-politician said. Berlusconi, who heads the opposition People of Freedom party, did not provide further details on the bid, but suggested Italy's biggest retail bank Intesa Sanpaolo would be involved.
