Now I know what brand of tires to buy from now on - Titan International
From
Yahoo News/Reuters:
"Keep your so-called workers," U.S. boss tells France
The CEO of a U.S. tire company has delivered a crushing summary of how some outsiders view France's work ethic in a letter saying he would have to be stupid to take over a factory whose staff only put in three hours work a day.
Titan International's Maurice "Morry" Taylor, who goes by "The Grizz" for his bear-like no-nonsense style, told France's left-wing industry minister in a letter published by Paris media that he had no interest in buying a doomed plant.
"The French workforce gets paid high wages but works only three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three," Taylor wrote on February 8 in the letter in English addressed to the minister, Arnaud Montebourg.
"I told this to the French union workers to their faces. They told me that's the French way!" Taylor added in the letter, which was posted by business daily Les Echos on its website on Wednesday and which the ministry confirmed was genuine.
"How stupid do you think we are?" he asked at one point.
"Titan is going to buy a Chinese tire company or an Indian one, pay less than one Euro per hour wage and ship all the tires France needs," he said. "You can keep the so-called workers."
Needless to say, there was quite the reaction from French officials and the Union bosses. More at the site. Pathetic really -- the old school socialist union mentality comes head to head with practical reality and a boss who will not cave to social pressures.
Like I said, the next time Buttercup needs new rubber, I'm buying Titan tires...
Posted by DaveH at February 20, 2013 4:21 PM