PARIS — Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares told unions that French plants were competitive within the newly created automotive giant, reassuring workers after he said the company will not cut jobs or close plants.
It was the first time he met the French unions since Stellantis officially sprang from the merger of France’s PSA Group and Italy’s Fiat Chrysler Automobiles two months ago.
“He told us the 2020 results showed French plants were rather competitive,” Christine Virassamy, head of CFDT union, told Reuters on Monday.
But she added Tavares had disappointed her by not giving more details on Stellantis’ strategy for France.
Tavares led PSA before the creation of Stellantis.
He met Italian unions of the former Fiat Chrysler business in late January, launching a charm offensive amid fears in Italy that Stellantis’s center of gravity could shift towards France after the combination.
But he will have to find the right balance to preserve interests between France, Italy and the rest of Europe.