Fiat announced its fourth wave of temporary layoffs so far this year on Wednesday, saying 2,500 people would stop work for two weeks in April to cut production in line with orders.
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According to Reuters, Fiat is trying to cut costs and boost sales to pull out of its worst ever crisis, through measures which included slashing thousands of jobs worldwide, with more still in the pipeline.
The news agency’s report said Fiat Auto would stop making the Lancia Thesis limousine, the Lancia Lybra estate, Alfa 166 and Multipla people carrier at its Mirafiori plant in Turin from April 12 to April 24.
Of 2,500 workers affected, the 840 who make the unusual looking Multipla would not return to work until June 20 as Fiat alters the production line to make a new, more conventionally styled version of the family car, Reuters added.
The report said that Fiat can lay off people temporarily for up to 52 weeks over two years and, during that time, workers are paid a reduced salary from a public fund of company and employee contributions.
According to Reuters, so far this year, Fiat has already sent a total of 6,300 people home over five weeks, most of them working on the Multipla, Lybra, Thesis and Alfa 166, a new version of which only went on sale in October.
