TURIN, Italy, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The largest union in Italy says it may take automaker Fiat to court over a contested production agreement for its Turin plant that was narrowly approved.
The deal was reached with other unions last month before getting the backing of 54 percent of the 5,400 employees at the Turin plant, also known as the Miafiori plant. It includes fewer breaks, increases in shift, measures to reduce absenteeism and limits on strike capabilities, Italy's news agency ANSA reported.
The Italian General Confederation of Labor and its engineering workers' arm said they considered the agreements an attack on labor rights.
"We'll assess whether to appeal to the judiciary," said confederation officer Susanna Camusso said. "A clause that stops a worker from taking part in a strike is an issue that would certainly go as far as the Constitutional Court as we are talking about rights that are not at the disposal of a company or of a union."
Sergio Marchionne, Fiat chief executive officer, had threatened to drop plans to invest $1.3 billion in the Mirafiori plant for new model production if the deal was rejected.
Camusso said she was surprised such a large portion of Mirafiori staff voted against the contract, given Marchionne's threat to move production outside Italy "did not permit the workers to decide."
