It is no surprise Fiat’s hardline union FIOM is doggedly staying out in the cold as industrial relations in Italy start to thaw after years in the deep freeze.
Despite FIOM’s position, the global recession has perhaps sharpened a few other attitudes however, as most Italian metalworkers look to save their jobs rather than adopting labour stances that have more to do with politics than worker rights.
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FIOM’s reaction to last week’s working conditions deal at Fiat’s Mirafiori plant was at least consistent. The labour body rejected out of hand the agreement citing a host of objections.
The details are fiendishly complex in Italy’s Byzantine web of industrial relations, but it appears those not voting for the new Mirafiori deal now find themselves with limited worker representation at the plant.
The more moderate FIM (Federazione Italiana Metalmeccanici) union has reserved criticism for FIOM, urging its labour colleagues to sign the deal in order to protect investment and jobs at the Mirafiori plant.
But here’s the interesting thing. Talking to just-auto from Italy today (21 January), a FIM spokesman noted that instead of mellowing gradually, just the opposite was happening with his FIOM colleagues.
“The FIOM management is different from the past – they are more ideological today – in the past they were more practical,” said the FIM spokesman.
“Now they are a lot more hardline, like the NUM [National Union of Mineworkers] in England.”
It’s also of note that FIM refers to the the NUM – whose crippling series of national coal strikes in the UK was a litmus test of strength between government and powerful trade unions – and that it should still resonate so strongly in Italy.
FIM clearly does not want to go down the same route as its British colleagues, whose power waned demonstrably after that extremely damaging strike that even set worker against worker in one of the UK’s most bitter disputes.
FIM has banded together with a collection of other multi-acronym unions in Italy to form a block against the more hardline unions. “The coalition of minorities make a majority – we are confident the coalition will be victorious,” said the FIM spokesman.
It’s not that FIM thinks the Mirafiori deal is perfect – far from it – the labour body concedes “OK, it is not ideal of course” – but it is hard-headed enough to recognise its members’ continued employment must come first.
If FIOM wants a glimpse into the future, it could do worse than dig out some archive material on the NUM – and see where it is now.
