EFES NEWSLETTER - MAY 2007

Explosive development about employee ownership in the world's press
7.560 articles about employee ownership in the world's press in April. When we launched our press review for the first time in October 2005, we got 597 articles. In March 2006, it was 1.090. In March 2007, last month, it was 2.090… Now with 7.560 articles, we have to change our methods. See press review below.

Fever in USA, employee ownership schemes are especially topical
For the second time in a few weeks, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) figured prominently in high-profile deals. $8.2 billion deal for Chicago Tribune (21.000 workers – they will have 60% in hands). $5 millions deal for Chrysler with a possible bid by the United Auto Workers reviewing a proposal for employees and the union to buy 70 percent of Chrysler via an employee stock ownership plan… See more information in the press review below.

Netherlands Participation Institute
New website for the Netherlands Participation Institute which promotes employee ownership in the Netherlands on http://www.snpi.nl/

Bangladesh: New worker-owned garment factory
The Institute of Integrated Rural Development promotes worker ownership in the textile industry and in roadside tree plantations More information  

Press review
7.560 articles about employee ownership in the world's press in April. When we launched our press review for the first time in October 2005, we got 597 articles. In March 2006, it was 1.090. In March 2007, it was 2.090… So much articles means that we got much "duplicates": When themes become popular, many local newspapers are reproducing the same information, duplicating the same articles. Now 7.560 articles becomes too much for us and we have to change our methods. This press review is based on Google tools - fortunately this month, we got a new Google function, excluding duplicates automatically.
Excluding duplicates, we got 1.952 articles in this press review in April. We made a selection of 52 remarkable articles in 12 countries: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, India, Italy, Jamaica, Sweden, UK, USA, South Africa.
ESOP fever in USA: Billionaire Sam Zell offer for Tribune group was finally accepted, a $8.2 billion deal, for the country's second-largest newspaper publisher. Tribune will be owned by Zell and the company's 21,000 workers through a new employee stock ownership plan. The ESOP will become the majority owner of Tribune once the deal is complete, though Zell will have control. Dangerous deal for employees? With employees having a say in how Zell will run Tribune or not? Will they have a seat on the board? Nobody's offered them one yet. But employee ownership does not necessarily mean a voice in management, or even a say. "The employees were never even consulted."
IF ALL else fails, hand the workers some equity. That seems to be the new philosophy of America's private-equity firms, at least, judging by the bidding war for Chrysler and the recent deal to buy the Tribune newspaper group.
Chrysler: Rumors about billionaire Kerkorian' intention. Chryslers’s main union, United Auto Workers, is looking to enter the bidding for DaimlerChrysler’s US division, reviewing a proposal for employees and the union to buy 70 percent of Chrysler via an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). UAW representatives from around Toledo have been talking up an employee bid for the Chrysler Group, and discussions around the proposal have been going on for more than a month. They got help from the Employee Ownership Center at Kent State University in Ohio and an "Employee Buyout Committee" was set up. The workers promoting the employee-ownership plan say it is the best option for Chrysler's 50,000 UAW workers…
ESOPs give workers a stake. The number of employee stock ownership plans grew 20 percent from 2000 to 2005. "They anchor jobs and capital in our communities," John Logue said. "...Isn't that economic development?''
Some other articles in our selection about employee-owned companies: The SAIC Story, an $8 billion business success. Devix Corporation became 100% employee-owned last month. How Ridge Lumber employee-owned firm plans a reorganization.
United Kingdom: Two veteran funds have joined forces to invest an additional £4 million in employee buyouts across the UK, with Baxi Partnership Trust.
India: The ESOP of RIL would benefit more than 18.000 employees and is the largest ESOP declared by any Indian oil and gas company. At present, Tata Tea has over 30,000 employees and workers at its North Indian tea plantations;  the Tata Group will divest its shareholding gradually with its North Indian plantation employees subscribing to the shares of the company.
Jamaica: National Workers Union representing Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) workers are to mount a lobby for the establishment of an Employee Share Ownership Plan before the upcoming sale of the power company.
Belgium: Employee share ownership lags far behind.
South Africa: Trade union Solidarity expressed unhappiness with cement company Lafarge’s unilaterally planned employee share ownership plan.
France: Merger and acquisitions are multiplying amongst large groups. For Eiffage, facing Spanish Sacyr, employee shareholders will be the key, with 22,4%. The new legislation of December 30, 2006 brings its first effects. France Telecom launches a wide new share ownership plan, giving free shares to its 104.000 employees. New employee share plan for BNP Paribas. Strong development for employee savings plans in 2006: +19%; employee savings concern now 60% of employees in the private sector.
Italy: One year later, employee shareholders of BNL are still waiting for BNP Paribas' projects.
Austria: Employee share ownership will be promoted by new government.
Sweden: Earthquake for Ericsson. In General Shareholders' Meeting, some US investment funds were able to reject the new employee share plan which was yet supported by Swedish shareholders and trade unions as well.

The press review is available on:
              http://www.efesonline.org/PRESS REVIEW/2007/April.htm 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?
This is how much an employee holds, in average, in shares of:

Man 47 €
Volvo 78 €
SCANIA 157 €
Rheinmetall 0 €
Valeo 642 €
Faurecia   73 €
DaimlerChrysler 741 €
BMW 1.484 €
Volkswagen 1.296 €
Audi 0 €
Renault 7.301 €
PSA Peugeot Citroen 1.472 €
Fiat   11 €
Pirelli & C.   3 €
Continental 1.018 €
Michelin 1.237 €
Thales 4.765 €
Finmeccanica   193 €
Smiths Group   1.783 €
EADS 7.143 €
BAE Systems 1.374 €
Rolls-Royce 3.981 €
ABB  105 €
Metso   4.767 €
KONE 556 €
Wärtsilä 3.276 €
Schneider Electric 8.245 €
Alstom 1.469 €
SKF 649 €
ANDRITZ AG 1.899 €
Bull 1.336 €
Siemens 2.148 €
UBS  87.000 €
Total 47.000 €
Novartis 48.000 €
Mondragon 54.000 €
DeutscheBank 61.000 €
SocGen 38.000 €
BNPParibas 30.000 €
CréditAgricole 48.000 €
AXA 27.000 €
Bouygues 23.000 €

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