Saab News Trollhättan: Säg ja till Antonov!

Trollhättan this afternoon. Stefan Löfven, the chairman of IF Metal is in Saab city. He feels the optimism among his members. But he also feels the anger and a lack of understanding about the passivity of the government. The only thing the government must do, says Löfven, would finally be to say yes to the entry of Antonov.

During his visit, Löfven also met with Victor Muller. Muller, he has the impression, has now completed a short-term solution and will present a long-term solution with the Chinese investors.

It is extremely important that the government occupy a position with the EIB, says Löfven. Meanwhile, a lot is happening in the city of Trollhättan.

In front of the factory gates, part 1

Saab employees are in demand. That is the good news for the people of Trollhättan. Car workers are wanted. Suppliers from Volvo, both from the truck and the car division, and also temporary employment agencies are at the gates and specifically recruit employees. Bad for Saab, but with the missing wage payment - without warning - one or the other has probably spanned the bow.

In front of the factory gates, part 2

Another is standing in front of the factory gates in the Stallbacka. It is the Ombudsman of the union union. He collects the signatures to prepare the bankruptcy petition against the car maker. He does not have all yet. Some employees are also on vacation. Saab gains valuable time.

The Saab factory in the Stallbacka.

Saab press officer Eric Geers informs the employees about the current situation. Victor Muller is at work, but does not show up. Wage payments, Geers says, have priority. The echo is mixed. Opposite the assembled Swedish press, the staff express themselves, most of them are the frustration of the last days to note, but you were hoping with Saab to the last. Still, most of them have not given up and are hoping for a good ending, and say so.

The municipality Trollhättan

Paul Akerlund is fighting. He fights for his community, for Saab, for Antonov. He currently uses the assembled press as a mouthpiece and drums since yesterday incessantly for Saab. So that you can hear it all over Sweden. He believes in Saab and he realizes that he really has no chance. He uses it anyway.

He is also there for the distressed Saab employees. Some do not get loans from the bank. Paul Akerlund, by the way, former IF Metal chairman, takes care of his people. He offers help to buy groceries, the communal housing association hours renters needy employees.

A great man, he has our respect.

The Swedbank in Trollhättan.

Swedbank offers IF Metal members loans of up to 20.000 crowns. Don't take any collateral for that. Only the credit rating has to be good. So far, the bank has issued 50 loans to Saab employees. “We don't earn anything from it,” says Karin Abrahamsson from Swedbank in Trollhättan. Every IF Metal member and Saab employee can go to Swedbank, even those who do not have an account there.

The Minister of State, is he coming to Trollhättan?

Frederik Reinfeldt has been invited to Trollhättan several times. He comes ? No, he will not come. Instead, he content himself with platitudes on the Saab theme in the Swedish media. Empty politicians phrases, as they have been his party friend Maud Olofsson for months. His interviews are not worth publishing by us.

Text: tom@saabblog.net