18 September, 2009Italian metalworkers reach an agreement securing the future of the Fiat CNH plant in Imola.
ITALY: On September 9, 2009 at the Ministry of Labour, an agreement was reached by the Italian metalworker trade unions about the CNH plant, avoiding closure of the plant in Imola that the Fiat group had announced a few months ago.
The workers, organized by FIM, FIOM and UILM, assembled and approved the collective agreement, which was reached after 81 days of picketing the plant and eleven days of hunger strike by an employee.
The agreement was reached in co-operation with the local union structures and the regional government. The Agreement provides for:
- keeping in Italy all the productions for construction equipment machines. CNH in Lecce will build backhoe loaders and wheel loaders,
- use of "Cassa Integrazione (public subsidy) for crisis" (12 months). Imola workers will not be dismissed,
- establishing a working group with the participation of CNH-Fiat Group at the Ministry of economic development, in order to find industrial solutions for Imola plant.
Through the action of the unions the closure of the Imola plant was prevented and Fiat was obliged to take social responsibility towards the workers and their community. Now, a new phase will start, when there still will be a need of workers' participation and unity.