Fiat says it is looking for a “substantial majority” in next week’s employee referendum concerning the future of its Mirafiori plant.
All unions bar one – FIOM – have agreed to Fiat’s new deal for the plant that appears to address unspecified working conditions – but CEO Sergio Marchionne is now pressing for a heavy mandate.
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“Marchionne said he wants a clear majority,” a Fiat spokesman in Turin told just-auto. “The agreement has not been signed yet – it has been agreed by all the unions apart [from] FIOM. It has to be a substantial majority.”
The FIOM body was at bitter loggerheads with Fiat for most of last year concerning a raft of productivity negotiations and today [5 January] launched yet another salvo at the automaker, noting the Mirafiori deal put forward “was like a house built in the desert.”
Indeed, FIOM has called a strike at its Fiat plants for 28 January to protest at what it describes as the “awful agreement.”
But Fiat is holding its nerve maintaining those who ink the deal – that could see EUR1bn (US$1.32bn) pumped into Mirafiori in a joint venture with Chrysler – will benefit from several working improvements.
The automaker also took aim at FIOM, insisting its members would be “marginalised,” as other unions reaped unspecified rewards.
“All members who sign up will get the extra benefits – FIOM will not,” said the Fiat spokesman “Apart from salary, it is also bonuses. The thrust of it [is] Fiom members who don’t sign will be excluded from that deal.”
Marchionne has previously said he will take the Mirafiori investment elsewhere should Fiat not be satisfied.
FIOM noted fellow-unions FIM-CISL, UILM, UGL and FISMIC had agreed to the deal, but it had refused to sign.
For its part, FIM has urged FIOM to ink the agreement should the vote next week be in favour of accepting Fiat’s terms.
