March 27 (Bloomberg) -- Air France-KLM Group said it's willing to push back deadlines for an agreement to purchase Alitalia SpA, in order to allow talks with unions to continue.

``Air France-KLM said it is willing to alter some of the deadlines,'' Alitalia said in a statement distributed by the Italian exchange late yesterday. ``Labor unions and professional associations also expressed the need to lengthen the timeframe for further necessary consultations and evaluations.''

Unions have opposed job cuts included in Air France's original bid. Air France said March 25 it will send a new proposal to Italian unions by tomorrow. The Paris-based carrier, Europe's biggest, said it wants to hold talks with each category of Alitalia employee and said ``no worker will be left on the street.''

Silvio Berlusconi, the frontrunner to become prime minister for a third time according to polls, last week urged Italian investors to challenge Air France's takeover bid of the state- owned air carrier.

To contact the reporters on this story: Steve Scherer in Rome at scherer@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 27, 2008 02:37 EDT