(Welcome?) Strikes Paralyze Fiat
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 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.
More by Bertel Schmitt
Comments
Join the conversation
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.
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.)