Friday, July 30, 2010

Italian union to fight 'discriminatory' hiring practices at Fiat plant

ROME (Reuters) -- An Italian union said on Friday it would use legal means to try to block Fiat S.p.A. from hiring workers under new rules at its plant at southern Italy.FIOM union leader Maurizio Landini said labor would take legal measure to stop what he called "discriminatory" hiring practices.Fiat is setting up a new company to manage the plant at Pomigliano d'Arco, which will not be covered by national job contracts.
The decision to place the new company outside the umbrella of the national employers federation underlines the determination of Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne to shake up work practices at Fiat's home plants.He has laid down an ultimatum to unions, saying that Fiat would move work out of Italy unless it could obtain guarantees that its home production network could be operated profitably.Fiat's efforts to introduce more flexible working practices at its plant in Pomigliano d'Arco, near Naples, have fueled a national debate on labor laws, which employers see as a hindrance to improving competitiveness in Italian industry.Fiat has secured the agreement of 62 percent of its work force at the Pomigliano d'Arco plant that would increase flexibility in working hours to meet fluctuations in demand and secure commitments to avoid excessive absenteeism.

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Crystal Coleman said...
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