Fiat must keep Italy plants if it buys Opel - government

The Italian government said Fiat must commit to maintaining all five of its auto plants in Italy if it goes ahead with a takeover of General Motors' German unit Opel, reports said yesterday.

"Keeping the five Fiat plants in Italy is indispensable," Economic Development Minister Claudio Scajola told Italian news agencies.

Fiat workers fear plant closures in Italy if the group manages to take control of Opel. Workers staged a demonstration on Saturday in the northern city of Turin, where Fiat's headquarters are located, to demand guarantees that its plants in Italy will be maintained.

Fiat's plans have also unnerved Opel workers who foresee possible job cuts and plant shutdowns in Germany, Italy, Belgium and Britain.

Yesterday in Frankfurt, Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne met with the head of the powerful IG Metall union, which is firmly opposed to a Fiat takeover of Opel.

A union spokesman later said Mr Marchionne had asked for the meeting, adding that the items covered would remain confidential.

Mr Marchionne on Friday said he would do his best "to guarantee the greatest number of jobs in Italy" and pledged to confer with government and labour representatives once his takeover talks with Opel are completed.