U.S. CEO ridicules French for 'three-hour' work day
PARIS (AP) - A straight-talking U.S. businessman and a European socialist government were never likely to become the firmest of friends, but a letter from Maurice Taylor, CEO of tire-maker Titan International, blasting the French work-ethic has ruffled France's feathers.
Taylor, who is nicknamed "The Grizz", wrote the no-holds-barred letter to French Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg to explain why his company wouldn't buy part of an ailing Goodyear factory in Amiens. The ministry confirmed the letter as authentic, but attempts to obtain comment from Titan have been unsuccessful.
"I have visited the factory a couple of times," the letter date Feb. 8 reads, according to a copy published Wednesday in Les Echos newspaper.
"The French workforce gets paid high wages but only work for three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three. I told this to the French union workers to their faces. They told me that's the French way!"
The Industrial Renewal Ministry had approached Titan to start discussions on buying up part of the Goodyear factory.
Taylor's response in the letter was abrupt, to say the least. "How stupid do you think we are?"
"Titan is the one with the money and the talent to produce tires. What does the crazy union have? It has the French government."
The letter, which refers to French employees as "so-called workers" has prompted a media backlash against Taylor, and even caused the French government to defend itself.
In a written reply Wednesday, a copy of which was sent to The Associated Press, Montebourg tells Taylor "your words, as extremist as they are insulting, show a perfect ignorance of our country."
"Can I remind you that Titan, the company you head is 20 times smaller than Michelin, the French technology leader with a global reach, and 35 times more profitable? That shows the extent that Titan could have learnt and gained enormously from a French base," Montebourg goes on.
"I would like to remind Mr. Taylor that France remains the number 1. European destination from American investors," said French government spokeperson Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, also stepping in.
"And it's likely there are very good reasons for that."
Figures from the Organization for the Economic Co-operation and Development show that France is riding high in the top ten of the most productive European countries. However, analysts and politicians across Europe are becoming increasingly concerned the France, Europe's second-largest economy after Germany, is rapidly losing its competiveness. The exchange of letters has been played out on a broader landscape of rising unemployment and fears that French industry will fall further behind as its economy slumps.
Titan International plays on the hard reputation of its CEO, who also made an attempt to run for U.S. President in 1996 for the Republicans.
The company's website features a biography explaining that the nickname comes from his "tough negotiating style" in Washington as well as a logo and sound of a roaring grizzly bear wearing shades.
Late Wednesday, the company's website appeared to have been hacked. It bore the message "You have been hacked" over a photo of loops of tangled barbed wire, and featured obscene taunts against Taylor.
Taylor, who is nicknamed "The Grizz", wrote the no-holds-barred letter to French Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg to explain why his company wouldn't buy part of an ailing Goodyear factory in Amiens. The ministry confirmed the letter as authentic, but attempts to obtain comment from Titan have been unsuccessful.
"I have visited the factory a couple of times," the letter date Feb. 8 reads, according to a copy published Wednesday in Les Echos newspaper.
"The French workforce gets paid high wages but only work for three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three. I told this to the French union workers to their faces. They told me that's the French way!"
The Industrial Renewal Ministry had approached Titan to start discussions on buying up part of the Goodyear factory.
Taylor's response in the letter was abrupt, to say the least. "How stupid do you think we are?"
"Titan is the one with the money and the talent to produce tires. What does the crazy union have? It has the French government."
The letter, which refers to French employees as "so-called workers" has prompted a media backlash against Taylor, and even caused the French government to defend itself.
In a written reply Wednesday, a copy of which was sent to The Associated Press, Montebourg tells Taylor "your words, as extremist as they are insulting, show a perfect ignorance of our country."
"Can I remind you that Titan, the company you head is 20 times smaller than Michelin, the French technology leader with a global reach, and 35 times more profitable? That shows the extent that Titan could have learnt and gained enormously from a French base," Montebourg goes on.
"I would like to remind Mr. Taylor that France remains the number 1. European destination from American investors," said French government spokeperson Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, also stepping in.
"And it's likely there are very good reasons for that."
Figures from the Organization for the Economic Co-operation and Development show that France is riding high in the top ten of the most productive European countries. However, analysts and politicians across Europe are becoming increasingly concerned the France, Europe's second-largest economy after Germany, is rapidly losing its competiveness. The exchange of letters has been played out on a broader landscape of rising unemployment and fears that French industry will fall further behind as its economy slumps.
Titan International plays on the hard reputation of its CEO, who also made an attempt to run for U.S. President in 1996 for the Republicans.
The company's website features a biography explaining that the nickname comes from his "tough negotiating style" in Washington as well as a logo and sound of a roaring grizzly bear wearing shades.
Late Wednesday, the company's website appeared to have been hacked. It bore the message "You have been hacked" over a photo of loops of tangled barbed wire, and featured obscene taunts against Taylor.
I read about this story yesterday - he was bragging that he could find slave labor overseas and pay them lesss that 1 Euro for their wage ($1.33 at yesterday's exchange rate).  He is TRULYan "Ugly American".
Read "I couldn't figure out how to exploit them, so I instead insulted them and stormed off like a fool."
I certainly hope Titan's stockholders are paying attention. After all, their big-mouthed CEO just cost them a deal that he, himself, solicited.
I would like to remind M Montebourg that he solicited Titan to consider taking over the plant INSTEAD of Michelin. He should learn to take the heat if he wants to step into Taylor's kitchen. It's surprising to me that it appears he didn't ask Michelin in the first place.Â
I understand his point. He is concerned about getting results for high wages these employees are being paid.
Meanwhile, what about the results for the high wages CEOs are paid as compared to these overpaid employees
http://p.twimg.com/Aw1yFymCMAEOt8s.jpg
CEO PAY vs Average worker
US: 475:1
France: 15:1
@T H I S Gee most CEO work 70-110 hours a week to make sure those workers get to have Jobs!
@Exiled_Patriot@T H I S"most CEO work 70-110 hours a week"
And most workers spend 40+ hours a week...therefore the CEO should be paid twice what the worker gets...
Fact is, a company can survive with poor management, no company can survive with poor workers - or bosses who try to do the work of the workers.
@Exiled_Patriot @OrcasThunder @T H I S I don't need to look at them, I've been one. And it's been my experience that State workers are harder working, and often better at their jobs, than the people I worked with in the private sector - specifically Boeing.
And they make less than the average private sector workers in the same kinds of jobs.
@OrcasThunder @Exiled_Patriot @T H I S Well you might have point there. Just look at Government workers.
@T H I S Apparently, you can't say anything on the internet that isn't true. Bogus claim.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/oct/10/facebook-posts/viral-facebook-post-ceo-worker-pay-ratio-has-obscu/
Did I ever mention my days as a French model, Monsieur?
@d_2 @Getov Mylon  Average ratio of  smarty-pants KOMO poster (G.M.) salary to Felix Hernandez? 400-1!
@Getov Mylon But... but... but.... I read it on the Internet- it must be true! :wink
@T H I S Your link  is simply a statement of numbers with no references. Maybe true, maybe not.Â
If their way of doing things was so much better, I guess the factory would not be failing.
I have spent 7 years in Germany in the Military and have worked with German civilians. They do have a different work culture but are hard working people. Their work week is 37 1/2 but get paid for 40. They also get 6 weeks of paid vacation per year including people who work for McDonalds. The Europeans live for their vacations and save all year to enjoy them.
@mstipton I've never been to Germany, but my impression is that they're more hardworking than the French. I lived in France for a while and they did seem to be slackers by American standards.Â
@merline @mstipton why do you think Germany invaded them twice in one century? And the British Always bested them on the field of battle? Slackers.
It's a difference in cultures. You can talk trash about a short workday all you want, but when you compare their quality of life to ours, the results speak for themselves.Â
Americans are way too ethnocentric.Â
@jowsuf Then please move France and enjoy life. So you are no longer burdened with this Oppressive American way of life.
@Exiled_Patriot Go move to France because I accept their culture as an American? That was uncalled for.Â
@jowsuf I don't believe that he was looking at this in an ethnocentric manner but simply as a business man wanting to see return on investment. He looks at workers who are being paid well but not returning that high pay with good honest labor. Why would he want to pay people to come in and take long breaks and work for 3 hours when they are being paid for 7 or 8?
@DeadRabitz Productivity vs hours worked is different in Europe, and their productivity and work quality doesn't suffer from this like many people think it does.
You have to remember that Americans are culturally different. We work longer than most other countries. That simply isn't how things operate for the majority of the world.Â
@jowsuf @DeadRabitz I understand that. I have traveled all over, including France. In the end, he is an investor, he isn't interested in investing in French culture. He sees an issue with expenditures vs. productivity. May be their productivity is higher but it's only higher for the time actually worked. He was being asked to take a stake in a failing factory in France and refused sighting this as one of the reasons. Heck, the factory was failing and the workers don't work...I. May not be a genius but even I can see that as an issue.
Spot on Taylor! It is well known that much of the workforce in France shuts down for almost the entire month of August.Â
I have been to France many times and speak passable French. This guy is not too far off the mark!! He's got game!
If this guy had his way, he'd have a team of slaves working around the clock, and he could show up in a pink Gulfstream V dressed in black leather, two whips at each hip. Slaves would get 2 cents an hour. Whatever! ... fat michelin-tire-man wannabe. I, for one, am thankful for unions.
LOL - gotta love the French! They'll return insult for insult and nobody deserves it more than Maurice Taylor. I doubt it's possible, but maybe, just maybe they'll teach him some manners and a lesson or two in how to treat your fellow man.
An overpaid American CEO complaining that the French are overpaid.
@Sanctuary Thanks, I needed that chuckle...