Italy’s automotive unions have been remarkably backward lately.

Even in the midst of all kinds of economic angst, they have resisted any attempts at work rule changes, have been shutting down Fiat’s plants and demanding wage increases.

Like, Italy’s economy needs this.

But it seems one doesn’t take on Sn. Marchionne lightly.

He has just announced that the new Multipla (one of the oddest of all the crossovers) will no longer be built in Italy, and the whole shebang will be moved to Serbia.

What’s most important about this move is that Fiat’s Serbian production has been limited to small, low cost vehicles, preserving the higher cost, higher technology vehicles to Italian workers.