They woke up this Monday morning without a boss. Like almost everyone, the 250,000 employees of Stellantis around the world learned with surprise late Sunday afternoon of the resignation of their general manager Carlos Tavares, who is leaving the automobile group “with immediate effect”. “We knew that there were strong tensions at the top but we did not expect this brutal decision,” underlines Laurent Valy, CFDT manager of the Stellantis factory in Janais in Rennes.
800 kilometers away, the early departure of the Portuguese leader, who was due to retire at the start of 2026, also took the workers and unions at the Sochaux site by surprise. “The year 2024 was very complicated with a share price that continued to plummet,” indicates Jean-Luc Ternet, CFTC delegate. So there were warning signs but it still remains a surprise.”
“He demolished the group and served the shareholders well”
In its concise press release, the fourth largest manufacturer in the world evokes “different points of view” between the board of directors and the general director to explain this departure. But for Cédric Brun, CGT delegate at the Valenciennes factory, he is mainly paying for his “cost-killer” strategy. “His policy has had dramatic consequences on employees with a drain on the workforce,” denounces the trade unionist. It also destroyed everything in our Research and Development department and there are all these reliability problems, particularly on the engines, which have damaged the image of the brand. We can therefore say that he demolished the group and served the shareholders well with double-digit profitability each year. »
When it comes time to take stock, Laurent Valy doesn't want to throw everything in the trash either. “In ten years, he was able to manage the takeover of Opel, the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler,” says the trade unionist. We can credit him with things, but at what cost? » Everyone who has worked with Carlos Tavares evokes his authority, his rough management and his demands pushed to the extreme. “He was a performance psychopath,” underlines Laurent Valy. After having squeezed the employees, he will now be able to press his grapes in his vineyards in Portugal. »
“Good luck and leave us your golden parachute”
Under his leadership, social dialogue was in fact “very complicated” within the group, according to Jean-Luc Ternet. “He has shown us in detail since his arrival,” assures the CFTC delegate. On many subjects, we had to fight.” In the French Stellantis factories, the boss's stratospheric salary also made people cringe. “He received 100,000 euros per day, it’s completely indecent,” fumes Cédric Brun. Whereas for us, when we ask for a second pair of gloves, the door is shut in our face.”
We will have understood, not many people are mourning the departure of Carlos Tavares this Monday. “Good luck and leave us your golden parachute,” quips Laurent Valy. But more than relief, it is concern that prevails among the unions. “We know what we lose but not what we gain,” believes Jean-Luc Ternet. The Stellantis Labor Force section also mentions “a hasty decision” which “weakens the entire company and its thousands of employees”.
Carlos Tavares ousted, it is John Elkann, executive president of Stellantis, who will take over as interim for a few months until the appointment of a new CEO. Jean-Luc Ternet admits to having “no preference” for this or that candidate. “We’ll see, but I don’t trust anyone,” he says. “In any case, his successor will not change gear,” says Cédric Brun. The objectives will always be the same and we will continue to suffer. »
