MILAN Reuters- Italy telecommunications unions are preparing to call a strike at Telecom Italia TIM amid uncertainty about the future of the group caught between its latest boardroom crisis and proposed takeover by U.S. fund KKR.
A 10.8 billion euro $12.2 billion offer for TIM was made last month by KKR, just before boardroom row forced CEO Luigi Gubitosi to step down after two profit warnings were issued by the top investor Vivendi.
The TIM set up a special committee to study the KKR bid last week, which placed the group's strategic assets in the hands of Chairman Salvatore Rossi.
The unions have expressed concerns over the future of TIM's 42,500 workers in Italy and have told the company they will not accept any reorganisation that puts jobs at risk, according to a document seen by Reuters.
Riccardo Saccone of the SLC-Cgil union said that TIM could have a strike within 10 days and that they want to be involved in any decision regarding an overhaul of the group.
TIM was not immediately available for comment.
Any takeover deal is conditional upon support from TIM's board and the Italian government, as well as due diligence expected to last four weeks.
Rome has said Rome's response to KKR will depend on plans for the network that it sees as strategic, because TIM's fixed network is Italy's main telecoms infrastructure. State lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is the second-biggest shareholder of TIM.