The Taranto-based ArcelorMittal Italia facilities will not close down but will continue production despite the coronavirus emergency, albeit at a slower pace. The prefect of Taranto has decided that only the production activity "for commercial purposes" of the former Ilva plant will be suspended until April 3. In other words, the current structure of plant activity, necessary to guarantee the protection of the plants and their safety from higher accident risk levels, will be maintained, with the maximum daily use of 3,500 direct employees and 2,000 workers of external companies.
Local unions have expressed their disappointment over the decision, as they aimed to further decrease the number of working units, to a maximum of 3,200 direct workers, compared to the 3,500 that were confirmed by the prefect.
The text of the prefectoral decree states that in the past two weeks ArcelorMittal "has reduced production in the current phase to the minimum necessary to guarantee the endurance of the plants and keep under control both the level of accident risk and the continuity in the implementation of environmental measures."
The prefect's decision came following consultations with the government-appointed extraordinary commissioners of Ilva, local firefighters and others.