Courtesy of Mish.
The politics in France get curiouser and curiouser (to put things mildly).
On Monday, the Minister of Productive Recovery, Arnaud Montebourg, announced a deal between Titan and Goodyear that would save union jobs in tire manufacturing plants.
The problem, and a significant one, is that Goodyear did not agree to the deal. Heck, the CEO of Titan denies even making an offer.
Via translation from Les Echo, please consider Goodyear Amiens: new imbroglio between Montebourg and Titan
It’s a pretty mess that would be almost amusing if it was not hundreds of jobs at stake Monday, the Minister of Productive Recovery Arnaud Montebourg, told AFP that the U.S. tire manufacturer Titan had made a new offer of a partial recovery for the site of Goodyear Amiens Nord, which employs 1,200 workers, the closure was announced in January by the company management.
The proposal concerns the activity of agricultural tires and covers “333 jobs in the Amiens plant whose maintenance is guaranteed for four years,” the minister said. Titan International would even be willing to invest “one hundred million minimum on the site”.
Alas, Maurice Taylor, the CEO of Titan, contacted by AFP, declined to confirm this announcement. “I am not aware of anything related to your country of great wines and beautiful women,” he responded … Besides, “the management of Goodyear has not received any new offer” from Titan.
Amusing Background
This tire story has an amusing background.
I wrote about it on February 19, in Incredible Letter from CEO of Titan to France Minister of Industrial Renewal, Blasting French Unions and USA: “How Stupid Do You Think We Are?”
“Les Echos” received a copy of the letter which the President of the American Titan told the Minister of Industrial Renewal why he threw in the towel on purchasing the Goodyear plant Amiens Nord, in a very direct style.
“How Stupid Do You Think We Are?”
Here are some excerpts I transcribed from an image of the letter posted on Les Echos.
Dear Mr. Montebourg:…
