Fiat chairman Paolo Fresco has asked workers to support the manufacturer’s restructuring plans as the employees continued protest action.
Fiat chairman Paolo Fresco has asked workers to support the manufacturer’s restructuring plans and cutbacks after employees
blocked the Sicilian port of Palermo in protest this week.
The workers have been holding regular protests against the plan to lay off about 8 000 people. This represents 20 per cent of the workforce.
Protesters last week blocked access to a loading area at the port, which meant 3 700 new cars could not get through. According to , protesters said they were fed up with peaceful demonstrations and would take stronger action if the company ignored them.
Earlier, 20 000 workers marched through Termini Imerese and 10 000 employees protested outside the Fiat plant in Turin.
Fresco sent workers a letter saying the company was “solid” and “important investments” would reflect future growth.
Fiat said it was beginning to benefit from the profitability-enhancing programmes launched this year.
“Fiat Auto expects to take advantage of the sales opportunities that will be created by a number of important products scheduled for launch in the closing months of this year.
Fiat said these products included the station wagon version of the Fiat Stilo, the powerful Alfa 147 GTA and new JTD 16V engine designed for the Alfas 147 and 156.
Fiat Auto’s goal was to reach break-even point in the fourth quarter of this year and said it expected to return to profitability by 2004.
The manufacturer said its business plan included the launch of 20 new products between 2002 and 2005, with 13 scheduled for 2003.
