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| French criticise 'ignorant' comments by US tyre boss | French criticise 'ignorant' comments by US tyre boss |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A French minister has responded angrily to the boss of US tyremaker Titan who said he would have to be "stupid" to invest in the country. | A French minister has responded angrily to the boss of US tyremaker Titan who said he would have to be "stupid" to invest in the country. |
| Maurice Taylor made the claims in a letter to France's minister for industrial recovery, Arnaud Montebourg. | Maurice Taylor made the claims in a letter to France's minister for industrial recovery, Arnaud Montebourg. |
| On Thursday, Mr Montebourg replied that Mr Taylor's "extreme" comments showed a "perfect ignorance of what our country is". | On Thursday, Mr Montebourg replied that Mr Taylor's "extreme" comments showed a "perfect ignorance of what our country is". |
| He added that 20,000 foreign firms are in France, employing 2 million people. | He added that 20,000 foreign firms are in France, employing 2 million people. |
| Mr Taylor - a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996 - was replying to a request for Titan to consider investing in a loss-making Goodyear plant in Amiens, north France. | Mr Taylor - a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996 - was replying to a request for Titan to consider investing in a loss-making Goodyear plant in Amiens, north France. |
| "I have visited that factory a couple of times. The French workforce gets paid high wages but only works three hours," Mr Taylor said in the letter, dated 8 February, and published by French business daily Les Echos on Wednesday. | "I have visited that factory a couple of times. The French workforce gets paid high wages but only works three hours," Mr Taylor said in the letter, dated 8 February, and published by French business daily Les Echos on Wednesday. |
| "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!" | "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!" |
| On Thursday, href="http://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/2013/02/20/20005-20130220ARTFIG00649-les-ouvriers-francais-sont-trop-chers.php" >he told Le Figaro: "I didn't want to insult the French. I wanted to say that the union at the factory in Amiens has a screw loose. | |
| "If the French workers work, they will be as competitive as the Germans, British or the Americans. The problem is that the French are too expensive because of their particular benefits." | |
| Mr Taylor is nicknamed "the Grizz" for his bear-like no-nonsense style. He added: "How stupid do you think we are?" | |
| French unions had blasted the content of his letter. | French unions had blasted the content of his letter. |
| The spat has been front page news in France and caused lots of discussion over "le French bashing" on social media over the past few days. | |
| More spats | |
| In his response, Mr Montebourg said: "May I point out that Titan, the company you lead, is 20 times smaller than Michelin, our French leader of international influence, and 35 times less profitable?" | In his response, Mr Montebourg said: "May I point out that Titan, the company you lead, is 20 times smaller than Michelin, our French leader of international influence, and 35 times less profitable?" |
| The minister added that 4,200 subsidiaries of US firms employed more than 500,000 people in France and that some firms had been around since 1842. | The minister added that 4,200 subsidiaries of US firms employed more than 500,000 people in France and that some firms had been around since 1842. |
| He went on to praise the efforts of young US soldiers in World War II and the current efforts of President Barack Obama to stop deindustrialisation in the US. | He went on to praise the efforts of young US soldiers in World War II and the current efforts of President Barack Obama to stop deindustrialisation in the US. |
| This is not the first row that Mr Montebourg has been involved in since the Socialists took charge of the presidency last summer. | This is not the first row that Mr Montebourg has been involved in since the Socialists took charge of the presidency last summer. |
| He accused steelmaker Arcelor Mittal of "lying" and "disrespecting" the country and said it was no longer welcome during a spat over the closure of two furnaces at its steel plant in Florange. | He accused steelmaker Arcelor Mittal of "lying" and "disrespecting" the country and said it was no longer welcome during a spat over the closure of two furnaces at its steel plant in Florange. |
| France has a 35-hour statutory working week, brought in by the Socialist Party in 2000, but critics say it is now stifling economic growth. | France has a 35-hour statutory working week, brought in by the Socialist Party in 2000, but critics say it is now stifling economic growth. |