Fiat has confirmed it has ended dialogue with one of its major unions concerning new work practices at its Pomigliano d’Arco plant near Naples.
The FIOM union claimed it was excluded from a meeting last week to discuss implementation of the new agreement at the factory – a situation Fiat confirmed today (13 July).
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“The thing is done and dusted now – we are going ahead without the FIOM union,” a Fiat spokesman in Italy told just-auto.
The FIOM labour organisation has been consistently hostile to plans by Fiat to introduce new work practices at the site near Naples, but now believes it is being marginalised by the manufacturer.
Fiat has decided to transfer production of the new Panda from its Polish plant to Italy following a referendum that saw 62% of the 5,000-plus workforce vote in favour, although FIOM maintains this still leaves a sizeable amount against.
“Our confederation was not invited to this meeting,” a FIOM spokesman in Rome told just-auto. “Fiat only invited those who were in favour of the agreement.
“The political meaning of this statement [Panda transfer] is that Fiat will go on with its plan related to Pomigliano and will go on only side by side with those who were in favour. The result of the referendum has shown many workers were not in favour.”
FIOM did concede however, it viewed the decision to invest around EUR700m (GBP884m) in the Pomigliano factory as a positive move. “Of course it is good they will go on with this industrial plan,” said the union spokesman adding he wanted Fiat to open a new dialogue.
