Tyre workers 'work just three hours'

TYRES boss Maurice Taylor has lambasted "so-called workers" at the shut-down Amiens Goodyear plant in a letter to the government, saying they take "one hour for their breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three".

And he replied to Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg's call to reopen the plant, saying: "How stupid do you think we are?"

Taylor, boss of Goodyear subsidiary Titan and nicknamed "The Grizz" by Wall Street analysts for his tough negotiating style, had replied to Montebourg in English after the minister had written asking that Titan restart talks about getting the plant's 1,173 workers back to work.

He said: "Goodyear tried for over four years to save part of the Amiens jobs that are some of the highest-paid, but the French unions and the French government did nothing but talk.

"I have visited the factory a couple of times. The French workforce gets paid high wages but works only three hours. They have one hour for their breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three.

"I told this to the French unions to their faces and they told me 'That’s the French way!'"

"Sir, your letter indicates that you want Titan to start a discussion: How stupid do you think we are?"

"The French farmer wants cheap tyres. He does not care if the tyres come from China or India and these governments are subsidising them. Your government doesn't care either: We're French!"

"You can keep the so-called workers. Titan has no interest in Amiens."

And he warned that China was shipping cheap subsidised tyres into Europe without any countering action by governments: "In five years Michelin will not be producing tyres in France."

The minister made no comment saying he "did not want to harm France's interests" but CGT Goodyear union delegate at Amiens Michael Wamen called the letter "insulting".

Just 10 days ago both Goodyear and Michelin issued revenue warnings. The Wall Street Journal quoted Goodyear chief executive Richard Kramer saying: "As this economic weakness continues, we see an environment where supply in many industries, including tyres, will exceed demand."

The paper added "Tyre makers are the latest casualties in the European recession that is claiming auto makers and parts suppliers alike. The number of new vehicles sold in European this year is expected to shrink to 12.3million, a 20-year low."