The sale of Iveco Group to the Indian conglomerate Tata Motors for €3.8 billion, announced on 30 July 2025, has triggered a wave of union reactions in the main European countries where the group operates production facilities. The focus is particularly on Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Worldwide, the industrial vehicle manufacturer employs around 36,000 people, 14,000 of whom are based in Italy alone. And it is precisely in Italy that the strongest concerns have emerged in the hours following the announcement.
Fiom-Cgil has taken the firmest stance, calling the deal extremely serious and accusing the company’s owners of having acted without consulting workers’ organisations. According to national secretary Samuele Lodi and automotive coordinator Maurizio Oreggia, Exor – Iveco’s reference shareholder – is continuing its industrial disengagement from the country, prioritising shareholders’ financial interests. The union has called on the Italian government to invoke the special powers provided by the Golden Power law to block the sale, which it considers detrimental to national interest.
A less radical but still critical position has come from Fim-Cisl. General secretary Ferdinando Uliano spoke of deep concern regarding the future of employment and industrial operations in Italy, stressing that Exor’s control of the group – maintained despite a 27% shareholding – is made possible by Dutch corporate law, which allows significantly greater influence than the shareholding would suggest. In his view, this was a deliberate strategic decision rather than one dictated by market conditions. Fim-Cisl has also urged government action to prevent Iveco from losing its Italian roots.
Uilm has adopted a more cautious yet alert stance. Representatives Rocco Palombella and Gianluca Ficco acknowledged as positive the lack of overlap between Iveco and Tata Motors’ production lines, as well as the signed commitments to retain the company’s headquarters in Turin, safeguard the production sites and maintain employment levels. However, the union questioned the reliability of these guarantees, which are valid only for the next two years, and expressed concerns over the medium- to long-term outlook, especially in light of European policies on ecological transition, which they described as self-defeating and damaging to the automotive sector as a whole.
Fismic has focused on the need to safeguard jobs and production sites, with particular attention to the Brescia facility, which is currently under redundancy schemes. Local secretary Oreste Guercia recognised Tata as a major global player, but set out non-negotiable conditions: no staff cuts, no plant closures, and the maintenance of the company’s headquarters in Turin.
In France, although there have been no detailed official statements, union sources have expressed concerns about the climate of uncertainty surrounding Iveco’s future. Worker representatives have requested an urgent meeting with the relevant ministry to obtain clarity on industrial plans and guarantees for production sites and jobs. The company’s failure to provide clear communication has heightened feelings of instability among French employees.
In Germany, the powerful metalworkers’ union IG Metall has adopted a cautious approach, drawing on its experience from past restructuring within the group. When Fiat Industrial decided to close five Iveco plants in Europe in 2012, including three in Germany, the union negotiated a plan that limited redundancies through early retirement and social measures. Today, the German union is maintaining a vigilant stance, aware that acquisitions by non-European actors require constant monitoring to ensure long-term compliance with industrial commitments.
In Spain, the sale has also renewed the attention of major industry unions UGT and CCOO, which have previously dealt with multiple Iveco-related crises. In 2012, they opposed downsizing plans, demanding that public commitments be honoured. More recently, in 2024, UGT led a mobilisation at the Madrid plant involving three thousand workers. Faced with the new ownership, the Spanish unions have adopted a realistic but firm stance, demanding that employment and production commitments be upheld, particularly in relation to the Madrid facility, considered one of the group’s most important.
The different union reactions reflect varying national contexts and levels of exposure to risk. In Italy, the diversity and intensity of responses reveal how Iveco is seen as a strategic asset worth defending. In France, the prevailing approach is institutional, geared towards dialogue with the authorities, while in Germany, the experience and negotiating strength of IG Metall favour ongoing vigilance. In Spain, the situation is shaped by a long history of negotiations and industrial action. Despite these differences, the underlying concerns are shared. All unions are demanding strong, lasting guarantees for employment protection, not limited to the next two years, and fear that current commitments may fall short in preventing restructuring or relocation.
