Chrysler Fiat News-Obama praises autoworkers, says Chrysler deal uncertain

President Barack Obama said today he did not know whether a deal preventing a collapse of Chrysler LLC would be done before Thursday's deadline, and praised American autoworkers for their sacrifices to the industry's survival.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Missouri marking his 100th day in office, Obama said his auto task force sent Chrysler and General Motors Corp. back to redo their business plans because their initial sustainability plans were not realistic. GM has until June 1 to deliver its new plan.

As for Chrysler: “We don’t know yet whether the deal is going to get done.”


Chrysler and the administration reached an agreement with large Chrysler debt holders to swap $6.9 billion in secured debt for $2 billion in cash. But 40-odd investment firms and hedge funds have to agree in unison to the swap, or the government will take Chrysler to bankruptcy court to force it into place.

Chrysler must also complete a deal with Fiat S.p.A., which appears close at hand.....More

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Fiat CEO: Cut Wages or No Chrysler Deal

Fiat CEO: Cut Wages or No Chrysler Deal

The Obama administration's attempt to shepherd a shotgun marriage between Chrysler and Fiat appears to be in serious trouble. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is demanding major concessions from labor unions before agreeing to any deal — and is offering next to nothing in return.

Fiat is prepared to scrap the deal and look elsewhere for an international partner if the unions do not agree to match the lower labour costs of Japanese and German plants in the United States and Canada, Mr. Marchionne said in an exclusive interview with The Globe and Mail at the Italian auto maker's headquarters in Turin. “Absolutely we are prepared to walk. There is no doubt in my mind,” he said. “We cannot commit to this organization unless we see light at the end of the tunnel.”

Mr. Marchionne, 56, said Chrysler workers on both sides of the border have to end their sense of entitlement if the wrecked auto maker is to have any chance of repairing itself. “The minute you talk to me about historical entitlement in an organization that is technically bankrupt, it's a nonsensical discussion,” he said. “There is no wealth to be distributed.”

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Auto Task Force Met With Fiat SpA Chief Executive about Chrysler Deal

Reported from Bloomberg.Com

Bloomberg-- U.S. Treasury advisers Ron Bloom and Steven Rattner spent most of a 2.5 hour meeting with Fiat SpA Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne talking about his plan to take a 35 percent stake in Chrysler, a person briefed on the meeting said.

Members of Barack Obama’s auto task force are meeting with automakers, suppliers, debtholders, labor leaders and other stakeholders to determine whether they should give additional aid from the Troubled Asset Relief Program to help the industry. GM, Chrysler and their finance companies have already been granted $24.9 billion in TARP loans and are seeking as much as $21.6 billion more.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeff Green in Detroit at jgreen16@bloomberg.net

Auto Task Force-Blog

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