“To reach one million cars produced in a year in Italy, all available factories are needed. Pomigliano and Mirafiori have a future.” Finally some calm returns to Mirafiori. And it is Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, who reports it, at least in words, who in recent hours has returned to the topic of Italian factories and the relationship with the government led by Giorgia Meloni. Just as the production bonus for the Group’s workers was being made official.
The verbal duel of a few days ago
In fact, the duel (also verbal in this case) on the executive’s commitment to the electric car and on the risks for Pomigliano d’Arco and the historic Turin plant took place a few weeks ago. But today Tavares threw water on the fire. “With the Italian Government we agree on the objective of bringing national production to 1 million units per year by 2030, and we can do this because we have the capacity and can count on a high-quality workforce.”
Mirafiori in a different situation from Pomigliano
Although united by an invisible thread on their destiny, the one in Campania and the one in Turin are “two plants in very different situations” explained Tavares. The production planning “in Pomigliano is already very full, we have a very strong level of activity because we want many Pandas”, to which is added the Alfa Tonale “which is a great success, and is also exported to the USA as the Dodge Hornet”. Instead “in Mirafiori the Fiat 500e, which is also a success, is the victim of the lack of incentives, not only in Italy but also in Germany where they were brutally stopped”, recalls the CEO.
Turin has a competitiveness problem
In Turin, however, there is also a problem of competitiveness. “Let’s be honest – said Tavarese -: if, after the merger from which Stellantis was born, we used PSA’s platforms for the electrification of Italian brands it was because they were competitive, we had the urgent need to reduce emissions and improve profitability of the Italian factories. And in any case we had no other solutions. We did not use ‘made in Turin’ technologies because in the past no investments were made in electrification”.
But there is hope for the future of Stellantis in Turin: “We are creating a wonderful laboratory for the chemistry of the batteries of the future in Turin and in the city we have also created the first Stellantis hub on the circular economy”.
Airaudo (CGIL): “Enough promises”
The reception to Tavares’ words, however, was not one of total enthusiasm. “Enough announcements and promises about Mirafiori – said Giorgio Airaudo, general secretary of Cgil Piemonte -. We have been waiting for 17 years. 3 CEOs: Morchio, Marchionne and Tavares; 3 company changes: Fiat, Fca, Stellantis. The incentives are there with the taxes of the Italians who pay them! Especially workers and pensioners. And where are the additional models? Up until now they have always decreased down to just the 500 E. And what about employment growing when it arrives at Mirafiori? Up until now, resignations, layoffs incentivized and workers’ compensation payments. It’s time for Stellantis to tell the truth: new products and hires, not promises. The government and institutions demand the truth for Mirafiori.”
Uliano (Fim): “The declarations were good, now precise choices”
Answers are also requested by Fi Cisl. “These are certainly positive statements, but they require precise choices with respect to the assignment of new models in the various Italian plants to achieve an increase of one third in current production”, comment by the Fim Cisl general secretary, Roberto Benaglia and the Fim Cisl national secretary , Ferdinando Uliano. “On Mirafiori as FIM we have been reiterating for some time that it is essential to strengthen the production mission with a new mass-consumption model and a more aggressive strategy on Maserati launches, bringing forward the launch currently scheduled for 2028”.
Uilm: “Tavares proves it to us with facts”
“If Tavares says there is a future for Mirafiori, prove it to us with facts and with the assignment of new models,” says Luigi Paone, general secretary of Uilm Torino. “We can only rejoice at the words of trust that the CEO addressed today to the Mirafiori workers. The plant is central to the history, ability and professionalism of the workers. We are confident that the company will soon tell us what plans it has for Turin “.
Meanwhile, a meeting has been called for next Tuesday 20 February at Palazzo Civico which will bring together the City of Turin together with the Piedmont Region, the Metropolitan City, the confederal unions CGIL, CISL and UIL Torino, the Industrial Union, the Chamber of Commerce, ANFIA, API Torino and representatives of Stellantis. “Precise choices are needed to make our territory attractive, encourage public and private investments and accompany the transitions underway. Without a real development strategy we risk new crises and the irreversible decline of our industrial sector”, comments the general secretary of CISL Turin -Canavese, Domenico Lo Bianco.