This Wednesday, January 21, the CEO of the Stellantis group, Antonio Filosa, wanted to reassure staff representatives during his second visit to the Sochaux site.
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His words were intended to be reassuring, but they had contrasting effects on his interlocutors. This Wednesday, January 21, Antonio Filosa, CEO of Stellantis, visited his company’s site in Sochaux for the second time since taking up his position in May 2025. The press was not present. As is customary, he met staff representatives. “No announcement effect” but words which were intended to be reassuring.
“A rather positive impression” confirms Bilal Benchaa, CFDT union representative from Sochaux, “afterwards, we will have to wait for the actions” he nuances. Same reservation for Thierry Giroux, of Force Ouvrière: “he is rather optimistic, we will remain cautious, we will ask to see.”
During this meeting, which lasted approximately three quarters of an hour, each union was able to ask a question prepared in advance. At the heart of the concerns reported by staff representatives: employment. Particularly due to the group’s greater investments in the United States than in Europe, and the lack of renewal of teams in France.
“He told us that investments were being made in Sochaux, that we should not worry” reports Bilal Benchaa. “That Sochaux is a crucial site in relation to 100% electric vehicles”. “He says that we have a beautiful factory in which investments have been made” adds Thierry Giroux.
The CEO also confirmed the announcements for fall 2025, and the hiring in 2026 of 1,400 employees, half of whom are workers. But, without specifying “how many hires concerned our site” specifies Bilal Benchaa. The CEO specifies that “arbitrages” must still be carried out.
The question is nevertheless essential. “In 10 years, the factory workforce has been halved” recalls Anthony Rué, CGT union representative. “The age pyramid worries us” comments Thierry Giroux (FO): “especially the renewal of skills in research and development and in the maintenance profession”.
“Here, more than half of employees on permanent contracts are over 50” underlines Bilal Benchaa, CGT delegate. “Renewing through youth would ensure the sustainability of the site.” According to its union, more than 1,400 temporary workers work on the Sochaux site, some of whom “for more than 18 months”.
But the CEO was very clear on one point: “He says that what will generate jobs is volumes and that our factory is capable of generating volumes” reports Thierry Giroux (FO). Volumes, mirroring the sales of the 3008 and 5008, including 100% electric, produced on the site. In 2025, 23,000 will leave the Sochaux production lines.
“Management links jobs to volumes, but what they are careful not to talk about are the profits generated by work” is indignant Anthony Rué (CGT), referring to the “54 billion in profits made by the company since 2021”. “The margin they make on each vehicle… today, a worker is unable to buy one of these cars” annoys the elected official, a few weeks before the opening of obligatory annual negotiations around salaries: “the cars we produce are clearly not for us”.
As for the promised hires, we will have to wait several more weeks, and a future CSE, to know the decisions of Stellantis management. Without certainty that these 1,000 positions balance other choices of the company in France, in particular concerning the Poissy site, threatened with closure.