Seat unions plan to ask owner Volkswagen to bring the Audi A3 or another VW model to fill up its key plant in Martorell, Barcelona, just-auto was told on Tuesday.
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A workers committee official said unions will make the petition during a VW annual management meeting in May.
“They will ask VW to bring new models so that we can fill the factory and recover one of our shifts,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
Union officials claim the A3’s sales are booming and that some versions of the car could be brought to Martorell to help boost production by 50,000 units in the medium term.
Martorell intends to make 430,000 cars this year, up from 390,000 in 2005, the workers’ representative said.
Unions are looking for ways to guarantee the factory’s long-term survival, especially after Seat axed 660 staff last year to survive a sales slump. The move turned into a national drama, triggering strikes and impassioned protests.
Seat’s unions also want VW to fully outline its future strategy for the car maker, officials said.
“We are capable of making up to 520,000 cars a year,” said the representative. “We have the efficiency and flexibility to increase production.”
The A3 is currently made in Audi plants in Germany and Hungary.
Ivan Castano
