Stellantis is shutting down its plant again due to a ‘shortage of raw materials’… except that the unions no longer buy it

In Mirafiori, the weeks go by and the production shutdowns all seem the same. While Fiat’s historic plant in Turin was set to resume operations after two weeks of short-time work, Stellantis has just announced another shutdown from November 2 to 6, 2026. This time, the automaker cites a shortage of raw materials. But the Italian unions are no longer buying it. According to them, the real problem lies elsewhere: car sales are insufficient to keep the plant running.

Three consecutive weeks of downtime

The situation is becoming particularly worrisome in Mirafiori. After four weeks of closure in August and several interruptions in September, Stellantis had already announced two more weeks short-time work from October 19 to 30.

A third week has now been added to the schedule, from November 2 to 6. The action affects employees working on the Fiat 500. However, the work stoppage also affects mechanical operations. According to the Uilm union, A total of approximately 1,400 employees are affected, including 1,000 in the body shops and 400 in the «Components» department, which manufactures, among other things, the transmissions for the Fiat 500 and Panda hybrid models.

For the unions, the shortage of raw materials is just an excuse

Officially, Stellantis attributes this latest production halt to a shortage of materials. This explanation bears a striking resemblance to the ones given in September, when the automaker cited difficulties in sourcing engines for the Fiat 500 Hybrid.

But this time, the FIOM isn't mincing words. Edi Lazzi, general secretary of the FIOM in Turin, and Gianni Mannori, the union's representative at Mirafiori, state that «The lack of materials is an excuse that doesn't hold water.». For them, the real problem is sales. With only the Fiat 500 in production, sales volumes would be insufficient to ensure steady operations. And without the prompt introduction of a second model, production stoppages are likely to become more frequent.

This analysis echoes the questions we’ve been raising for several months on Italpassion. Stellantis initially promised to produce between 100,000 and 120,000 Fiat 500s per year, before gradually revising its targets down to about 60,000 units for 2026. Even this target now seems difficult to achieve.

A second model has been promised, but when?

The most paradoxical thing is that Stellantis actually mentions The arrival of a new car at Mirafiori. In mid-October, Arnaud Belloni, head of Fiat, Lancia, and Abarth, confirmed that the company was working on a very compact and competitive model. But the unions fear that this project may be subject to conditions that are difficult to meet, particularly regarding energy costs in Italy. FIOM is also concerned about the timeline. The facelift of the electric Fiat 500 (with a new battery), expected in 2028, might come too late for a plant that is already struggling. Employee representatives are therefore calling for a second model and a new production line without delay.

1,400 employees facing uncertainty

Behind these announcements, the consequences are very real. Short-time work reduces employees« incomes, while subcontractors in the Turin region also risk suffering the consequences of repeated shutdowns. Igor Albera of Fim-Cisl is calling for investments that can guarantee continuous operations and stable job prospects. For its part, Uilm considers the situation »unsustainable” and is calling for an urgent discussion on the future of Mirafiori.

The question now is simple: How long will Stellantis be able to keep announcing new models while regularly shutting down the plant that’s supposed to produce them?