2,500 Fiat workers at the Mirafiori assembly plant will be laid off for two weeks of next month, and a further 840 will be laid off for 10 weeks between 12 April and 20 June.

The two-week stoppage affects workers on Fiat Auto group's low-volume Lancia and Alfa Romeo 166 models, while the longer lay-off will hit assembly workers dedicated to the Multipla while a new line for the model is installed for the revised version due for launch later this year.