Workers in the Italian automotive sector went on strike on Friday. They followed a call from the metal unions. A large demonstration with union leaders and opposition politicians is planned in Rome.
“The automotive industry in Italy and Europe is collapsing. The prospects for industry and employment are at risk. The crises in Germany and Belgium linked to the Volkswagen Group and Audi threaten to cause an earthquake for the entire automotive industry on the continent, while the US and China are defending the industry with huge investments. The EU, the Italian government, the car manufacturer Stellantis and the supplier companies must react urgently,” said a press release from the confederated trade union associations.
It is necessary to increase the number of vehicles produced in Italy, with models for the mass market. “To combat the factory closures in Europe, the USA and other parts of the world, we are committed to building a global network for labor and employee rights in the automotive industry,” it said.
Union: 70,000 jobs at risk
According to unions, around 70,000 jobs in Italy are at risk because of the end to the use of combustion engines in new cars from 2035. Italy wants to submit a proposal to the EU Commission so that the review of the production stop for internal combustion engines by 2035 can be brought forward to the first half of 2025.
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According to the industry association Anfia, the car industry in Italy, which is still largely based on traditional combustion engine technology, directly or indirectly employs more than 270,000 people and generates more than five percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Sales of fully electric cars fell by 27 percent in Italy last year and only accounted for 3.7 percent of total new registrations.
The head of the multinational car company Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has recently not ruled out factory closures in Italy in view of the sales crisis in the automotive industry and competition from China. According to the FIM-CISL union, weak demand for new cars is causing car production in Italy to collapse by a third.
Production at Stellantis will fall to under 500,000 vehicles by the end of 2024, down from 751,000 vehicles last year, the union said. This means that the Italian government’s goal of producing 1 million cars annually by the end of the decade is becoming more distant. The Italian government is demanding guarantees from Stellantis to maintain jobs.
