Stellantis Vigo and the unions began talks yesterday to address ongoing challenges from the global chip shortage and shipping delays. A new temporary employment regulation plan (ERTE) will be enacted to manage the current crisis at the Balaídos plant. An accompanying Employment Regulation File (ERE) is also on the table, aiming to offer up to 100 voluntary departures among workers.
The meeting, which commenced at 12:30 and marked the start of the consultation period, was jointly reported by the company and the unions. A negotiation commission was formed with a dozen members from each side: ten people representing the works council, selected based on recent election results, and a matching number from the plant’s management team.
Within a little over an hour, the company put forward its negotiation timeline and submitted the supporting report along with initial figures. The ERTE would affect 5,037 workers and run for 90 days through December 31, 2023. It also includes adjustments to the working day and layoffs that will take effect after the facility’s flexibility measures are exhausted.
The proposal also defers some changes beyond what was approved last year, extending the window to 60 days with a possible 30-day extension. This is broader than the arrangements negotiated for the group’s plant in Figueruelas, Zaragoza, in the past.
During the same meeting, the ERE was discussed as a legal mechanism to formalize the voluntary departures requested by the unions. The company indicated that up to 100 contracts could be affected to help redirect staff from redundancy to alternatives.
The next negotiation session is scheduled for Thursday, January 12, with initial discussions planned for Monday and Tuesday of the following week and a subsequent meeting on Thursday, January 19. The company expects to reach a consensus in these talks.
strikes
Separately, planned indefinite strikes began yesterday at two facilities connected to the Vigo region. The Porriño-based TBSI, which supplies plastic components for the auto industry, and Avenir Conseil Formation (ACF), located in Vigo and involved in support services for Stellantis, are both involved in the labor action.
TBSI workers initiated strikes in response to staff reductions and a shift toward outsourcing certain services. ACF employees began an indefinite strike in response to the company’s plan to relocate resources to other regions, including Morocco, which is framed as a strategic move by the employer.