Washington, D.C. – Union representatives and consumer protection advocates have protested outside the Italian embassy in Washington, D.C., urging the government to put pressure on Fiat/Chrysler to prevent the automaker shifting work to less-expensive companies for new vehicle transportation.

Representatives from the Teamsters Union delivered a letter from union president Jim Hoffa to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in which Hoffa expressed concern that billions of taxpayer dollars in the U.S. and Italy are not being used to establish a sustainable recovery at Fiat/Chrysler. The letter also called on the Italian government to hold Fiat/Chrysler and its chief executive Sergio Marchionne accountable for the company’s actions.

“Fiat management is seeking to transform the auto transport industry from one that provides stable jobs that support drivers and their families into a cut-throat, low-cost, low-quality segment of its supply chain,” Hoffa wrote. “In the United States, Fiat/Chrysler has recently embarked on an effort that transforms how automobiles are delivered to dealer showrooms. The results are disturbing from the perspective of both business and consumers.”