Those could include outsourcing some services and using temporary layoff schemes.

The company has already placed some staff on state-backed temporary layoff schemes to avoid job losses.

Last month the government arranged a temporary layoff scheme for up to 3,300 Ilva employees.

Another request includes a 50 percent cut of the Italian airline's labour cost without using temporary layoff schemes, the paper added.

Alitalia has around 9,200 full-time staff, plus a further 1,600 in a state-backed temporary layoff scheme.

The number of people on temporary layoff fell, but permanent job losers were little changed at 2.9 million.

Fiat currently takes advantage of a state-backed temporary layoff scheme at Cassino, avoiding overproduction by keeping workers at home when market demand is lower.

At least 18.1 million said they were on temporary layoff, indicating they expected to go back to work within six months.

Machado's comments came before the US company announced production cuts of 120,000 units at its Almussafes plant and the temporary layoff of 5,200 workers.

Deere has not publicly disclosed the extension of the temporary layoffs or the relegation of workers.

They were already on temporary layoffs.

These include temporary layoffs of different length, work time adjustments and other arrangements, the company said in a statement.

A government source said this would include support for small and medium-sized firms and loosening rules on temporary layoffs.

The huge wave of temporary layoffs in hotels and restaurants is taking time to process, leaving many without cash.

The lockdown on economic activity has brought a surge in temporary layoffs, however, and thus a sharp rise in unemployment.

It said the temporary layoffs will begin on April 16, and largely include employees working in retail and sales roles.