IN BRIEF

SPARKS

Workers, families picket site over wages

Local construction workers and their families picketed outside a Sparks sporting goods store under construction to protest what they called a contractor's failure to provide fair wages and benefits.

Friday's picketing by more than a dozen people was directed at Custom Painting and Decorating of Sparks, which is working on a Scheels store in the Legends at Sparks Marina project, said Russ James, organizer for Local Union 567 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

While the project is being built with taxpayer incentives and taxpayer-backed bonds, the contractor is failing to provide adequate benefits such as employer-paid family health care coverage, James said.

Dan Warren, owner of Custom Painting and Decorating, said his workers are offered fair wages and benefits.

The union called on the city of Sparks to require the contractors to provide the same benefits as union members get.

City of Sparks spokesman Adam Mayberry said the city would not consider the request.

MILAN, Italy

Alitalia board accepts $1.1 billion buyout bid

Alitalia's board on Sunday unanimously accepted Air France-KLM's bid valued at $1.1 billion in a move to save the struggling national carrier.

The Air France-KLM offer values the airline at $216 million, far less than expected, based on a share swap of one Air France share for every 160 Alitalia shares. The Franco-Dutch carrier also said it would pay $946 million for convertible shares.

The Franco-Dutch carrier said it would inject $1.56 billion in capital once the deal is complete.

Alitalia's board issued a statement accepting the offer after a marathon meeting that went some 16 hours into early Sunday. Air France said it was "happy" with Alitalia's decision.

Air France-KLM wants the deal to be backed by unions, which have been critical of the planned 1,600 job cuts. The offer also must be approved by the Italian government, which is selling its 50 percent share, as well as the stock market regulator and EU competition authorities.

Air France-KLM said it expected to have necessary government and regulatory approvals within the first half of 2008. During the week, Italy's Cabinet will meet to discuss the offer, and Air France-KLM Chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta is expected to fly to Rome to meet with Alitalia's labor unions.

Air France-KLM said it plans to relaunch Alitalia with an industrial and restructuring plan that will allow the Italian carrier "to rediscover the means of its development and to consolidate its status as a national leader."

Alitalia will maintain its national identity within the group and an Italian will have a seat on Air France-KLM's board, the carrier said in a statement.

The Franco-Dutch carrier said it expected to achieve operational profits in 2009.

Alitalia has been losing $1.56 million a day, and its cash reserves were down to just $439 million at the end of January, nearly a 25 percent drop from a month earlier.