Since the Harpocrites love Made In Canada Solutions here's one; nationalize Chrysler through tripartite fund raising and purchase. Both levels of government; provincial and federal funding for compact and hybrid cars and trucks, with funding from CAW and Big Daddy Warbucks; Magna's Stronach confirms Chrysler interest
With CAW members along with environmental and consumer advocates on the board as worker and public representatives. This is how the German Auto Industry built itself up. An why it will cut its relationship with Chrysler.
Because Dahlmer wants to sell. And if these guys get it the will slash jobs and contracts, affecting CAW and Stronach. It is widely rumoured that private equity powerhouses Cerberus Capital Management LP and Blackstone Group LP are also considering putting Chrysler in their portfolios.
$700-million Chrysler plan at risk, union says
Potential Chrysler buyers call CAW's Hargrove
Magna chief looking at Chrysler
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Chrysler, CAW, Canada, Dahlmer, Benz, auto, automobile, Stronach, Magna, Ontario, environment
1 comment:
I think there are a few different ways to go on this. I don't know much about the funds you mentioned (besides the names). But, unless I've heard this incorrectly, some pension and labour funds are supposed to be the largest pool of capital going. And from a technical standpoint I would hate to lose Chrysler altogether. For decades they had one of the best engineering departments in the auto industry. These are the guys who developed automotive gas turbines in the '50s and '60s and then deep-sixed the whole program due supposedly to poor fuel economy. [That and related stuff could be basis for a future article on my(Shagya) blog sometime]. Right now Walter's old company is starting to make mistakes similar to the stuff they did in the 1970s,ie. megalitre gas hogs, 4x4 urban tanks ... oh, and that superugly "300", nothing more than a glorified cop car. [Although I think GM is in even worse shape. Like the world really needs a 500hp/315kph Corvette?]. If nationalization has to be an option it is very, very important that "user groups", consumers, company employees would have some input into the type of products being made. For instance why just build more and more cars? The alternative energy field, things like photovoltaics is really starting to open up; that would be an area to look at. The post WW2 consensus in Germany did work for a time because of the cold war. Germany was a showpiece for the social democratic west. But "Mitbestimmung", co-determination, was not the same thing as self-management. The idea was around on the Continent before the 1920s and generally supported by the allied powers as part of the "show" in those days.
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