(Welcome?) Strikes Paralyze Fiat

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Unions in the U.S. are happy with Chrysler’s resurgence. Meanwhile in Italy, unions are being blamed for the woes of Chrysler’s parent.

Fiat announced yesterday that it will again temporarily suspend production at two plants in Italy. Fiat blames the stoppage on a strike by Italian car haulers. According to the Wall Street Journal, the trucker strike “has gone on for about five weeks and in some cases turned violent.”

The national hauler association ANITA ( Associazione Nazionale Imprese Trasporti Automobilistici), blames a small minority group of drivers who transport new cars to dealerships from Fiat and other manufacturers located outside Italy. The small group already set fire to a car hauler in Cassino, a town where Fiat has a plant. If that small group can get Fiat in trouble, wait until restive Fiat workers strike against Marchionne’s capacity reductions plans.

Fiat will shut production at the Cassino plant on March 27-29 and at its Pomigliano plant, where the new Panda is being produced, on March 26-27.

Fiat figures it will lose about 10 percent of its market share in Italy and abroad this month. Fiat already lost market share in Italy and Europe. Some of the strike action might be a welcome cover.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 6 comments
  • Burnout Burnout on Mar 24, 2012

    It's a shame really. The strike is about fuel taxation, but the truckers efforts are hurting everyone but the government. It's the typical union "scorched earth" way of dealing with problems...damage everything (including their own way of life) in order to make a point...what a disaster. I don't blame Fiat at all if they finally shutter all plant doors in Italy.

    • See 3 previous
    • Jimboy Jimboy on Mar 25, 2012

      @highdesertcat You two sure don't like to confuse facts with your opinions, do you? The fact is that Ford received $6.9 BILLION dollars in low cost federal DOE loans that NEITHER Chrysler nor GM received. Chrysler received high cost (up to 20%) loans, NOT a bailout, and has subsequently repaid the LOAN it received. Ford has not, GM is still substantially owned by the U.S and Canadian govts. The fact is that saving Chrysler has been a good thing for both the U.S. economy and Fiat, so everybody wins. How bout you stop with the woulda, coulda, shouda?

  • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Mar 24, 2012

    It is interesting to know if Mafia is behind unions in Italy and if they use unions to extort payments from companies. In US and Japan it happens (see what happened to Olympus or watch Sopranos e.g.)

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