Italian, German Unions To Meet Wed To Discuss Fiat/Opel

Italian and German unions will meet Wednesday in Brussels to exchange views on Fiat SpA's (F.MI) plan to acquire General Motors' (GM) German unit Opel, an Italian union leader said Monday.

"It's an informal meeting to exchange information on an ongoing situation," said Giorgio Airaudo, secretary general of FIOM-CIGL in Fiat's home town of Turin.

Airaudo said more talks will be held next week in Gothenburg, Sweden at an annual meeting of international metalworkers' unions.

Fiat's main unions will hold a demonstration in Turin on June 16, he said, adding that the event is being held on a Saturday so as not to take workers off assembly lines during a work week.

Italian unions are seeking a meeting with Fiat and with the Italian government before talks with Opel are finished at the end of this month, he said.

"We are awaiting talks with Fiat to understand which product lines will remain in place to guarantee the continued operation of Fiat plants going forward," he said.

Italian and German workers are concerned that a Fiat/Opel merger could result in plant closures.

-By Jennifer Clark, Dow Jones Newswires; 39 02 58 21 9904; [e-mail]