In Pain, European Carmakers And Unions Turn To Obama For Inspiration

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

People in Europe had a lot of time to think about their troubled future during their long vacation. Coming back to work, they are “ready to shut plants and lay off staff,” as Reuters observes. Executives and union leaders are said to be in rare agreement over who to emulate: Obama, the UAW, and Detroit. Europeans want their bailout too. Some do, at least.

“Barack Obama said the federal government was ready to help (GM and Chrysler) on condition they carry out the necessary restructuring,” said Laurence Parisot, head of French employers’ organization Medef. “”If we want our companies to be competitive market leaders again in five or 10 years, we have to accept some adjustments.” Likewise, some union leaders “are calculating that cuts now can save more jobs later,” says Reuters.

Those “adjustments “ could be brutal if the U.S.A. is taken as an example. At GM alone, the adjustments did cost four brands, 14 U.S. plants and 21,000 jobs. The fact that employers and employees in Europe start thinking about cutting off the leg to save the body illustrates the level of pain they are going through

“Higher restructuring hurdles, from bankruptcy law to labor protection, also mean European cutbacks will never match Detroit’s for depth or speed” says Reuters.”Still, the U.S. example is too recent and, so far, successful to ignore.”

There is a much bigger hurdle: Not everybody in Europe is hurting: “Two in five European plants are running below 75 percent, deemed the minimum profitable rate, while Volkswagen’s factories are close to full tilt. The laggards are concentrated in Italy, France and Spain,” says Reuters. Government bailouts are against EU regulations. Those regulations can be changed or flouted – but that needs unanimous consent. So far, the call for government help come from Fiat’s Marchionne and now from GM-partner PSA. Volkswagen says “let them die” and is getting ready to pick up the pieces. But what if Volkswagen also gets affected?

Germany’s Automobilwoche [sub] reported over the weekend that Volkswagen is getting ready to cut its currently red-hot production by ten percent. Nonsense, says Volkswagen.

“The given scenarios are speculative and factually not correct,” a Volkswagen spokesman told Reuters. He also added that the situation in some markets is “tense” and that the coming months will be “significantly more difficult and demanding.”

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Oldyak Oldyak on Sep 03, 2012

    The unions have become an entitlement in Europe..much like the U.S. Poor quality for great pay(sounds like a government job)and have no intention of giving that up..or their 35 hour work week! What a bunch of B.S. And now the regular working folks get to foot the bill and support them..... my oh my, what a mess. You go Obama.... Yea..You can fix this!!!

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    • Bd2 Bd2 on Sep 04, 2012

      The auto unions in Germany and SKorea are stronger than in the US. What has been the difference? Better management from the top leading to strong export business.

  • Oldyak Oldyak on Sep 03, 2012

    Hummmm. So let me get this straight. The unions know how the company is doing and resent modifications to the contract anyway. well that's much better.. I`m so re-leaved to know that the 45% doesn't care that they build s___t cars that nobody wants. Blame management on poor quality cars..while your workers get high and drunk in the parking lot. Volvo made the ugliest cars in the world but their quality and distinctiveness kept them afloat for many many years. Build a great car and people will buy it...unless the drunk /hungover line worker screws it up. Co-determination! Yea that's the ticket.

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