Strike forces Alitalia to cancel hundreds of flights

Alitalia was forced to cancel 60% of scheduled flights Thursday as its employees went on strike to protest about employment conditions. Hundreds of employees marched outside Rome's main airport, where usually bustling check-in areas were deserted. Alitalia's controlling shareholder Etihad Airways, which has a 49% stake, is pushing for deep job cuts. The airline's financial losses and failure to fend off low-cost competition is widely blamed on years of poor management. Protesters said Thursday they had been on "precarious" temporary contracts for 60 months, and were being asked to accept ever-harsher working conditions. Sources say heavy restructuring may include up to 2,000 job cuts and grounding of planes, in a last-ditch attempt to keep flying. <br/>