The semiconductor crisis worsens at the Stellantis plant in Melfi, the main Italian-French group. After the production stoppage in recent days, the situation has become further complicated so as to force the company not only to give up the planned production increase, but to reduce work shifts from 17 to 15, generating 1,500 temporary redundancies. The change in the organization will be operational from next April 4th.
The company explained, as the unions report, that in addition to the crisis already underway for the supply of semi-conductors, in recent weeks the dramatic situation of the war between Russia and Ukraine has further exacerbated the situation given the role of those countries in the production of raw material for the construction of microchips.
The hypothesis of an increase in production to 20 shifts, announced in recent weeks, is therefore not feasible and starting from the beginning of next month the plant will reduce the pace of work. The situation also forced to change the social safety nets used, with the launch of solidarity contracts with the new rules valid starting from 2022 which provide for the maximum reduction in employment levels up to 80%.
The trade unions expressing great concern “for the economic situation which unfortunately sees a worsening of the production situation” and consider as indispensable “extraordinary tools to deal with this dramatic and transitional moment and to give concrete help to workers’ income”.
The next meeting with the company is set for next 22 March. Until then, the trade unions have announced that they want to implement “every useful action so that not only announcements but concrete facts arrive from the Region and the Government so that no job is lost in Melfi”. The trade union delegation then requested a meeting specifically to talk about the employment of the entire industrial area of Melfi, in line with the agreement of June 25 last year.