Representatives from Italy's UILM and FIOM unions on Thursday abandoned talks with Whirlpool unit Embraco in the northwest city of Turin after the company refused to reinstate nearly 500 sacked workers at its plant.
The US-owned electrical appliances manufacturer last month announced its decision to close its factory in Riva di Chieri, near Turin, with the loss of 497 jobs and to switch production to its plant in Slovakia.
Italy's industry minister Carlo Calenda has taken up the Embraco case with the European Commission see if Slovakia has breached European state aid rules and if Rome can be allowed to intervene to save the Riva di Chieri plant without breaching those same rules.
At Calenda's request, foreign minister Alfano will ask the Slovak government for explanations about Embraco plan to delocalise within the EU.
Embraco, a subsidiary of US giant Whirlpool makes refrigerators and washing machines at its factory in Riva di Chieri, southeast of Turin.
