Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa Reassures Italian Unions Amid Plant Concerns

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa met with Italy’s major labor unions on Monday, seeking to calm concerns about the automaker’s long-term plans in the Italian market. The meeting came as several Stellantis factories across Europe face production pauses and slowing demand—sparking fears about future investment and job security.

Filosa reassured workers that Italy remains at the center of Stellantis’ industrial strategy, announcing 400 new hires at the company’s Mirafiori Assembly Plant in Turin. The additional staff will support a second production shift starting in February for the new Fiat 500 Ibrida (Hybrid), which Filosa described as key to strengthening the brand’s European presence.

“The company is respecting the timelines of the longer-term strategic plan for Italy announced in December last year,” Filosa told union leaders. “It’s not enough, but I can tell you that is all we can do so far considering the context.”

The CEO also confirmed that production of the new Jeep® Compass (J4U) will launch in the coming weeks at the Melfi Assembly Plant in southern Italy. Meanwhile, the Cassino Assembly Plant north of Naples will see “multi-energy” versions of the next-generation Alfa Romeo Giulia (A5S) and Stelvio (A5U), ensuring what Filosa called a “stable future” for that factory.

The new jobs at Mirafiori build on recent hiring at the Atessa Plant in central Italy, signaling Stellantis’ continued investment in domestic manufacturing. The company has also committed €6 billion (about $7 billion USD) in contracts with Italian suppliers and vowed that no Italian plant will be shut down.

However, union representatives still voiced concern over Stellantis’ broader European outlook. “Filosa described a worrying picture with regards to Europe,” said Ferdinando Uliano, Secretary General of the FIM-CISL union. “While the extra hires in Mirafiori are good news, more investment will be needed to bring back Italy’s production from the current critical levels.”

A key decision still looms regarding the proposed EV battery plant in Termoli, on Italy’s eastern coast. Automotive Cells Company (ACC)—a joint venture between Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz—plans to decide before year-end whether to move forward with the project.

Source: Bloomberg