Workers at Italy's former Ilva plant suspend protest, await court ruling, new talks

ROME, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Workers at the troubled former Ilva steel plant in Taranto, southern Italy, on Friday suspended five days of strikes and roadblocks after the government agreed to hold fresh talks on the plant's future later this month.

Protesters have blocked roads near Eni's ENI.MI Taranto refinery since Monday, disrupting fuel deliveries across parts of southern Italy. The demonstrations are aimed at a government plan workers say would leave thousands reliant on furlough schemes instead of providing a long-term industrial solution.

"We are looking forward to the meeting with the government on October 27. The suspension of the strike is only temporary because there are still no solutions, but we want to negotiate," said Giovanni Lippolis, a representative of the FIOM trade union.

The steelworkers' action has coincided with wider protests by truckers and farmers across the Puglia region over high diesel prices and rising costs.

The disruption has strained regional fuel supplies, with shortages reported at filling stations and earlier curbs on aviation fuel availability at Bari and Brindisi airports, although flights continued to operate.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government approved measures to keep the steel plant's blast furnace area ready for operation while awaiting an October 20 ruling by Italy's Supreme Court on whether key facilities must be shut down.