Unions get behind Fiat deal

The shareholders of Fiat-GM Powertrain Polska have agreed to a new investment in the company's factory in Bielsko-Biała. The deal will increase the plant's production capacity of the 1.3 SDE Multijet diesel engine by 40,000 units to 740,000 units in 2007 and 800,000 in 2008. Among the Bielsko-Biała plant's clients are Fiat, Suzuki, Lancia and Opel.

The value of the investment is estimated at EUR 81 (zł.317) million. Around EUR 4 (zł.16) million of the total investment will be spent on increasing production capability to 740,000 units, with EUR 50 million to finance a new production line. The remaining EUR 27 (zł.106) million will be spent on adjusting the engines to the new environmental standards and increasing their power. Fiat-GM Powertrain Polska, which is a joint-venture company of Fiat and General Motors, announced that the investment will create 400 new jobs.

According to the company's personnel director, Marek Stanclik, the investment could only proceed after the company and most of the trade unions agreed on a new shift system, which will introduce a six-day working week for machines and a five-day week for workers. This means that as machines are active for six days, workers will work in shifts (a total of 40 hours per week), but a shift can take place on Saturday.

Four trade unions objected to the idea, but following negotiations three of the organizations signed off on the deal, with Solidarność the only voice of dissent. "The trade union is against working on Saturdays, but this is the only way to ensure that the increased production goals will be met," Stanclik said. He added that he believes in the wisdom of the union, "which was never against new investments." The personnel director added that an agreement on salary increases was also signed, but no further details were given.