Saab’s main unions are holding urgent talks in Trollhattan now as the shock waves of the automaker’s bankruptcy filing continue to reverberate around the Western Sweden town.
The manufacturer has not paid its near-4,000 staff for November salaries and with December’s wage deadline fast approaching, unions are meeting to decide the next step.
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The bankruptcy move has also led to the cancellation of a planned Court hearing in Vanersborg to decide if Saab should continue in voluntary reorganisation or not.
“There is no Court hearing, it is cancelled,” main Saab blue collar union IF Metall legal adviser Darko Davidovic told just-auto from Trollhattan.
“We are going to sit in a meeting with the local representatives – all the unions are here now. Of course we are disappointed.”
The IF Metall legal adviser said following Saab’s bankruptcy application, the government would cover November and December salaries through a pot of up to SEK171,000 (US$25,000). The average monthly Saab wage is SEK24,000.
A statement from Vanersborg District Court noted: “Saab Automobile, Saab Automobile Tools and Saab Automobile Powertrain has applied to be declared bankrupt. The district court intends to examine the application and appoint a trustee promptly.”
Earlier today, European automotive supplier body CLEPA CEO Lars Holmqvist told just-auto his members stood to lose up to EUR300m, with the Swedish government believed to be at head of a queue of creditors as it guaranteed a loan to Saab from the European Investment Bank of EUR270m.
