Termoli, Pomigliano, Mirafiori, Modena: "the situation is serious" for Stellantis Italy, even the Church is getting involved!

The summer break has only lasted a moment. Back from vacation, it's going to be a busy time for Stellantis in Italy. From Termoli to Mirafiori, by way of Pomigliano and Modena, the concern is the same everywhere: production at half-mast, lengthening solidarity contracts, and an industrial future still without a clear compass. Even the Church, through the voice of the Bishop of Termoli, has stepped in to defend the dignity of the workers.

Termoli: from the promise of the Gigafactory to forced solidarity

In Termoli, hopes of a Gigafactory are dashed. As of September 1 1,823 employees will all be covered by a solidarity contract extended until August 2026. A measure that partially protects jobs, but reduces salaries and prolongs uncertainty.

For the USB union, it's "a death foretold": "Stellantis not only abandons Termoli, but continues to sacrifice entire Italian factories. Workers are the victims of a war between the poor, while one industrial plan after another never materializes."

Even local politicians are sounding the alarm. The president of the Molise region, Francesco Roberti, is calling for a review of the plant's role, no longer as a simple battery hub, but as a site capable of producing the internal combustion engines still needed until 2030.

And the Church, through the voice of Monsignor Claudio Palumbo, Bishop of Termoli-Larino, drives the point home: "This is a dramatic moment for workers and their families. Profit cannot be the only compass: people and their dignity must remain at the center." A statement of great significance, illustrating the gravity of the situation.

The bishop, together with all the ecclesial communities of the diocese, urges local, regional, national and European institutions to prevent dangerous drifts and to do everything possible for the future of the automotive industry, by sharing decisions with workers and placing not only profit (although legitimate), but above all workers and their families, at the heart of corporate decisions. Workers expect urgent, concrete answers, and cannot live with the constant anxiety of jobs that are unfortunately increasingly insecure and with no prospects for the future.

Mirafiori: 2,300 workers in solidarity, once again

In Turin, the return from vacation also has a bitter taste. 2,297 Mirafiori employees (2,043 blue-collar and 254 white-collar) will be placed on solidarity contracts until the end of the year. Sectors affected range from the Fiat 500 electric line to the tool shops.

"The agony at Mirafiori has been going on for 18 years", says Fiom-Cgil. For the unions, only the allocation of a new model to be produced alongside the 500 can restore a future to the site and the entire Turin region.

Pomigliano: the looming shadow

The Pomigliano site in Naples, which produces the Panda and Alfa Romeo Tonale, has not been spared by volume cuts either. For Fim-Cisl, "the situation is critical, and a real industrial plan for Italy is urgently needed, otherwise the sites will be condemned to slow erosion". A restyled version of the Tonale is due to be presented in a few weeks' time, but there is no guarantee that this will be enough to significantly boost sales volumes.

Modena: Maserati in open crisis

In Modena, Maserati's historic stronghold, the figures speak for themselves: operating loss of 140 million euros and -41.5 % in sales for the first half of 2025. Employees, already on short-time working, fear that the Trident will lose its centrality in the Motor Valley.

Regional councillor Maria Costi (PD) called for discussions with Stellantis and the government. On the right, Senator Michele Barcaiuolo promises to question Minister Urso: "Maserati is a heritage of excellence that deserves a strong, shared commitment.

A high-voltage back-to-school season

Behind the announcements lies the same reality: a group in great difficulty in Italy, with a declining European market and industrial choices that are hard to convince (production in Poland, Serbia, Morocco, Algeria...). The unions are calling for a clear, shared national plan, while local politicians are sounding the alarm.

When the Church reminds Stellantis that work is not just a tool for profit, but an instrument of human dignity, it's clear that the situation is serious.