Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Peugeot ousts CEO Christian Streiff]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/30/peugeot-ousts-ceo-christian-streiff/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/30/peugeot-ousts-ceo-christian-streiff/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/30/peugeot-ousts-ceo-christian-streiff/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Christian Streiff, CEO of PSA Peuget/Citroen since early 2007, has been pushed out by Peugeot's board, controlled by members of the Peugeot family. Streiff took the position after a short, turbulent stint as CEO of Airbus, and his time at Peugeot wasn't much more relaxing. Upon taking the position he stirred things up, changing how models were developed and manufactured. The company earned profits of €885 million in 2007, and while Streiff was controversial to some, he was safe.

Last summer Streiff suffered a stroke and was off work for a couple of months. He returned to work just as things were caving and everyone was wondering whether Peugeot was going to merge with another automaker. When the final numbers were tallied for 2008, Peugeot had lost €343 million ($433 million) for the year. But the real issue appeared to be that Streiff was never clear about what he was going to do about turning things around. The board finally lost faith and let him go, saying that a change was needed to "reveal the potential" of Peugeot/Citroen.

Streiff has been replaced by Phillipe Varin, the ex-CEO of Corus Steel who was also in the running for the position when Peugeot chose Streiff. Varin will begin meeting his team April 15 and take up his post on June 1. In the meantime, a Peugeot board member will run the operations.

[Source: Reuters]

Peugeot ousts CEO Christian Streiff originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christian streiffChristianStreiffcitroenfiringfiringspeugeotpsapsa peugeot citroenPsaPeugeotCitroenstreiffMon, 30 Mar 2009 09:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1501655/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/03/30/peugeot-ousts-ceo-christian-streiff/1501655/article-detail.xml 1501655 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/streiff_ousted_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/streiff_ousted.jpg <![CDATA[No camera phones allowed! GM plant electrician fired for Camaro pics]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/01/no-camera-phones-allowed-gm-plant-electrician-fired-for-camaro/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/01/no-camera-phones-allowed-gm-plant-electrician-fired-for-camaro/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/01/no-camera-phones-allowed-gm-plant-electrician-fired-for-camaro/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


click above to view high-res gallery of the pics in question

Whenever you walk into an automaker's factory or engineering facility, there are signs prominently displayed letting everyone know that cameras and camera phones are prohibited. Unfortunately for an electrician at the General Motors Assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario where the Camaro is due to begin production late this year he ignored the warning. Worse yet, he took some shots inside the body shop where pilot production units were making their way down the line and then showed them to his kids. The youngsters evidently extracted said photos and shared them with the world.

The electrician with 28 years of seniority has apparently now learned that those signs were not an empty threat. Even though there is nothing particularly secret about how car bodies are welded together or about how the new Camaro looks, GM and other manufacturers are serious about those policies. This employee who apparently just wanted show off a bit for his kids is now unemployed. Was it worth it? If you're going to whip out the camera phone, you might want to be a little more discreet about how you share the pics.

Gallery: 2010 Camaro in Production


[Source: LeftLane News]

No camera phones allowed! GM plant electrician fired for Camaro pics originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camarocamaro productionCamaroProductionfiringfiring employeesfiringemployeesfiringsspy picsspy shotsspypicsspyshotsSun, 01 Jun 2008 08:46:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1211706/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/01/no-camera-phones-allowed-gm-plant-electrician-fired-for-camaro/1211706/article-detail.xml 1211706 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/camaro3lead_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/camaro3lead.jpg <![CDATA[Ford <strike>firing</strike> letting go up to 12% of salaried workers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/28/ford-to-fire-up-to-12-of-salaried-workers/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/28/ford-to-fire-up-to-12-of-salaried-workers/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/28/ford-to-fire-up-to-12-of-salaried-workers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Perhaps 'fired' is the wrong word, as that does imply that these white collar workers did something wrong. The only thing some 12% of Ford's salaried workforce did wrong is get hired by a company that dug itself into a hole relying on strong truck and SUV sales during the 1990s. Now, with consumers avoiding gas-hungry vehicles, the restructuring effort faltering amidst high gas prices, and news that the company has abandoned its goal of returning to profitability in 2009... cutting more salaried workers was inevitable.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally told reporters last week that sales of big trucks and SUVs crashed once gas hit $3.50 per gallon. In April, full-sized pickups accounted for 11 percent of sales. By the second week of May, the number had fallen to just 9 percent. "I don't think we've ever seen a decline week over week like this," Mulally said. "It was clear to us it was time to act." And act they did. While details have not been finalized, Ford expects to eliminate up to 12 percent of its salaried work force (with about 24,300 white-collar workers in the States, this means more than 2,000 positions will be gone). Ford Vice President Jim Farley couldn't sugar-coat the news, but he did try to spread the doom around when he spoke to his employees on Friday, saying "I would expect other car companies to make similar announcements... they have the same issues that we do -- even Toyota."

[Source: The Detroit News]

Ford firing letting go up to 12% of salaried workers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 May 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan MulallyAlanMulallyFiringFordJim FarleyJimFarleyLayoffRestructuringWed, 28 May 2008 12:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1207944/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/05/28/ford-to-fire-up-to-12-of-salaried-workers/1207944/article-detail.xml 1207944 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/fired-734715_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/fired-734715_opt.jpg <![CDATA[BMW to increase U.S. production in 2012 while cutting jobs in Germany]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/bmw-to-increase-u-s-production-in-2012-while-cutting-jobs-in-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/bmw-to-increase-u-s-production-in-2012-while-cutting-jobs-in-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/bmw-to-increase-u-s-production-in-2012-while-cutting-jobs-in-ge/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Blame the plunging greenback. Less than a week after BMW announced the expansion of their U.S. Spartanburg plant, we are getting news from Germany that the weak dollar is making it increasingly difficult for the German automaker to keep production on their soil and that layoffs are imminent. Ernst Baumann, BMW's head of personnel, said 5,600 jobs in Germany will be cut by the end of the year. When you add that to the 2,500 positions already eliminated, the total represents about 7.6-percent of BMW's workforce.

While the layoffs are bad news for German factory workers, the flip side of the coin may benefit their American counterparts. With the value of the Euro sitting at more than $1.50 at current exchange rates, European automakers are finding manufacturing on U.S. soil more attractive (read that "cost effective") than ever. BMW manufactured about 155,000 vehicle on U.S. soil last year. By 2012, that number is planned to approach 240,000 cars. BMW sales worldwide reached 198,628 in January and February, up from 191,357 the same period last year. With the new BMW 1 Series and BMW X6 models hitting showrooms in 2008, BMW is forecasting yet another year of increased sales.

[Source: Detroit News]

BMW to increase U.S. production in 2012 while cutting jobs in Germany originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BMWEmploymentFiringHiringJobsLayoffsManufacturingMon, 10 Mar 2008 14:04:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1135804/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/03/10/bmw-to-increase-u-s-production-in-2012-while-cutting-jobs-in-ge/1135804/article-detail.xml 1135804 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/bmw_logo_250_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/03/bmw_logo_250_opt.jpg <![CDATA[BREAKING: Chrysler Group reveals details of union worker buyouts]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/27/breaking-chrysler-group-reveals-details-on-union-worker-buyouts/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/27/breaking-chrysler-group-reveals-details-on-union-worker-buyouts/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/27/breaking-chrysler-group-reveals-details-on-union-worker-buyouts/#commentsFiled under: , ,



This afternoon the Chrysler Group and the UAW released a statement revealing details of the early retirement and separation programs that will help the automaker reach its goal of shedding 13,000 jobs. Two-thousand jobs being eliminated are salaried positions, and we brought you details on those early retirement and buyout packages last week. Today's announcement affects the 11,000 hourly workers who the Chrysler Group hopes will choose to leave the company on a voluntary basis.

There are two plans available to hourly workers, which include an Incentive Program for Retirement (IPR) and an Enhanced Voluntary Termination of Employment Program (VTEP). The IPR allows hourly workers with 30 or more years of service with the company to accept early retirement in exchance for a lump sum of $70,000. It is presumed these retirees would keep all the benefits that are granted to a normal retiree. The VTEP, however, is available to any hourly employee with at least one year of credited service with the company. In exchance for leaving the company, the Chrysler Group is offering a lump sum payment of $100,000.

Any employees eligible for these programs were notified of their options via a letter today .

[Source: the Chrysler Group]

Continue reading BREAKING: Chrysler Group reveals details of union worker buyouts

BREAKING: Chrysler Group reveals details of union worker buyouts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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