Fiat has responded in a statement to the growing row
over its refusal to allow three sacked workers back into
their production-line jobs at the Melfi factory in Italy
following a court ruling citing an on-going criminal
investigation and expressing confidence that its actions will be
exonerated at a second hearing. It comes amidst
worsening labour relations between Fiat and its Italian
staff with the carmaker demanding major changes in
working practices to bring its domestic operations into
line with factories overseas.
Fiat Group statement relating to Melfi workers (Melfi is
operated by SATA Spa):
"In relation to the dismissals at Melfi, SATA S.p.A.
considers it necessary to emphasize once again that the
actions the three strikers have been accused of are
extremely serious as they caused a halt in production,
hindering the company’s freedom to conduct business,
causing economic loss and infringing on the rights of
the majority of other employees not participating in the
strike.
"Although it
believes that the first ruling did not adequately
address the disciplinary aspects of the matter, SATA has
in any event complied with the order issued by the court
of Melfi, reinstating the employment relationship with
the workers involved in terms of both compensation and
their complete freedom to participate in union
activities, as well as all other associated rights and
privileges.
"In this
specific case, the decision by SATA not to have the
three individuals involved actively return to work,
which is standard practice in labour disputes and is
intended to prevent the emergence of any further
disputes between the parties, is fully justified in
light of the actions of the individuals concerned that,
pending completion of the legal proceedings, reflect
negatively on the relationship of trust between company
and employees. Those actions are, moreover, also the
subject of a criminal investigation being conducted by
the public prosecutor of Melfi.
"The company, confident that
the Court of Melfi will successfully establish the
truth, reaffirms its belief that the actions adopted in
relation to the three workers are legitimate and that at
the hearing set for the 6th of October it will be able
to fully demonstrate that the actions of the three
strikers constituted a willful and protracted
obstruction of production that was illegal and did not
constitute the legitimate exercise of the right to
strike."
