Rather used to welcoming colleagues from Mulhouse or Sochaux as reinforcements, the employees of the Stellantis site (ex-PSA) in Vesoul were surprised to see 80 Italian workers arrive on Monday, October 25. These workers are attached to two sites of the group located near Naples (Fiat). These volunteers traveled more than 1000 km to come and work in Haute-Saône, within a world center for spare parts.
“This is a great first” underlines Jean-Paul Guy, CFTC Stellantis Vesoul delegate. “It is a decision of the group to show solidarity with the incumbents on permanent contracts,” he explains. Indeed, hard hit by the shortage of semiconductors, the automaker Stellantis produced about 600,000 vehicles less than expected (-30%) in the third quarter, said the group Thursday, October 28. A decline in activity affecting the Italian factories of the group.
The situation is making unions cringe. “We understand the need to work of these Italian employees, what we understand less is the way of doing the group” indignant Nicolas Petitguillaume, delegate Force Ouvrière Stellantis Vesoul.
Our activities are overflowing, we have been asking for additional staff for months, but the arrival of the Italians will not strengthen our teams but replace our temporary workers.
Nicolas Petitguillaume, FO delegate
Same observation on the side of the CGT. “We minimize the staff, the hiring while there is a need for more than 300 people but with the breakage of the 35 hours, it has already made it possible to replace the equivalent of 125 people”, details Alain Sylvestre Secretary General CGT Stellantis Vesoul.
“It is dramatic for the temporary workers as it is complicated to find and train them” adds Jean-Paul Guy of the CFTC. “We saw it at a job forum in Vesoul last week, 1,800 job offers and only 150 people moving … It will be difficult to find temporary workers the day the Italians leave “he blurted out.
As of Monday, November 1, 120 other Italian workers are expected in Vesoul. When contacted, the management of the Stellantis group did not wish to answer our questions.