UniCredit's bid for Banco BPM raises concerns about the potential impact of the deal on jobs, the banking sector's main union said on Thursday. "There is great concern about the employment fallout that could result from the deal.

UniCredit SpA informed top officials in the Italian government and Banco BPM SpA Chairman about its intention to make a takeover bid for its smaller rival before announcing the move on Monday, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Italian lender Banco BPM on Tuesday said the unexpected takeover offer by domestic rival UniCredit does not reflect its profitability and could reduce its legal autonomy. UniCredit offered to snap up Banco BPM for roughly $10.

Italy's UniCredit on Monday launched a surprise 10 billion euro ($11 billion) bid for domestic peer Banco BPM , which CEO Andrea Orcel said would take precedence over any potential move on Germany's Commerzbank .

Banco BPM SpA said the takeover bid it has received from UniCredit SpA wasn’t agreed in advance and isn’t in line with its performance.

With its plans for Germany's Commerzbank seemingly stalled, UniCredit, Italy's second-largest lender, on Monday launched a bid to buy its rival BPM for 10.1 billion euros ($10.6 billion).

Italy's Banco BPM, the target of an unsolicited all-share offer announced by UniCredit, should remain an independent bank, its CEO said in a letter to staff on Wednesday, warning of big job cuts if the deal went through.

ROME, NOV 27 - The CEO of Banco BPM, Giuseppe Castagna, wrote a letter to staff Wednesday saying there would be estimated job losses of at least 6,000 if Italy's second-biggest bank UniCredit succeeds in its hostile takeover bid for the country's third-biggest.