Reborn Industrial Tycoon

The U.S. stock market is booming!

If you are a Chinese stock investor, you will definitely jump for joy when you see this color.

American stock investors are just the opposite. When they see the screen full of red, their hearts bleed.

For the U.S. stock index, red represents a decline, while green represents an increase. A flash of red means that the stock market continues to fall, and investors suffer heavy losses.

The Federal Reserve has already taken action and injected capital into financial institutions for many days in a row. However, the Federal Reserve's capital injection of 18 billion is just a drop in the bucket in the face of financial risks of tens of trillions.

The financial crisis caused by the subprime mortgage crisis quickly spread to the real economy. This is best reflected in the stock market.

The so-called prophet of spring water, the U.S. stock market can most directly reflect investors' confidence in the market and also project the prosperity of the U.S. economy.

As statistics were released one after another, bad news followed one after another.

House prices across the United States began to fall, recording the largest single-quarter decline in 21 years, and the number of bankruptcies began to increase by 20% per month.

The Federal Reserve chose to cut interest rates in an emergency, but it is still difficult to reverse the decline in non-agricultural employment.

For ordinary consumer credit, default rates have also begun to intensify, with overdue repayment rates quickly reaching the levels seen when the Internet bubble burst in 2000.

A large part of the U.S. economy is driven by consumption. If there is a problem with consumption, it means that the U.S. economy will inevitably fall into recession.

…

In the evening, Thomas, an autoworker, parked his pickup truck in the garage and returned home humming a tune.

As an American autoworker, Thomas's salary is still very good. He lives in a large house in the suburbs, has a wife, two children, bought two cars, and has a dog. This is the American middle class.

standard equipment.

Entering the entrance hall, Thomas saw a pile of letters in the storage box next to him at first sight. Thomas picked them up casually. There were promotion advertisements from supermarkets, insurance company promotion advertisements, mortgage repayment bills, and credit cards sent by banks.

bill.

"It's time to pay off the credit card again." Thomas opened the bill and saw the numbers on it. He suddenly had a headache. He took his children to a ball game last month and really overspent.

The next second, Thomas suddenly remembered that he was still participating in the strike, which meant that this month's salary had not yet been received!

The key is that the factory is still laying off employees, and the intensity of the layoffs is getting bigger and bigger. I wonder if Thomas's name will be on the layoff list tomorrow.

Thinking of this, Thomas couldn't help but panic. Various loans were like sharp knives hanging over Thomas' head. If Thomas really lost his job, how would he repay the car loan, house loan, credit card, etc.!

Ordinary Americans don't save money. After paying off various loans after their monthly salary arrives, there will be little money left. Once they lose their jobs, they really have no money to repay the loans.

"The union people said that if we persist a little longer, the management will definitely compromise!" Thomas comforted himself.

But thinking about those colleagues who had returned to the workshop and clocked in and out normally, Thomas increasingly felt that the union's words were unreliable.

Soon, Thomas's wife prepared dinner, and the family of four gathered around the dining table. The dog ran to the bottom of the dining table, saying in his heart: Drop it, drop it, drop it quickly, whatever falls on the floor is mine.

!

Thomas was still thinking about repaying the loan, while his wife began to nag about the family's problems.

"Did you know? Mr. and Mrs. Heywood next door are getting a divorce!" the wife said.

"Aren't they very loving? Why are they getting divorced? I remember that in the summer, they held a barbecue queue and invited us to participate. Could it be that Mr. Heywood was cheating?" Thomas asked.

"No, it is said that Mr. Thomas was laid off two months ago and has been unable to find a job. They have no longer been able to pay the mortgage and he is likely to file for bankruptcy. So Mrs. Thomas simply divorced him.

I saw today that Mrs. Thomas was packing her luggage, maybe planning to move from here." The wife replied.

Hearing words such as "layoffs" and "bankruptcy", Thomas's heart trembled violently, and he felt as if a rabbit was dead or a fox was dead.

The wife continued: "I heard that many companies have been laying off employees recently, and it is getting harder and harder to find a job. When I went to the supermarket today, I heard the salesperson discussing that it was due to the recent recession and the number of people buying groceries.

It is decreasing, the turnover of supermarkets is also declining, and supermarket management has planned to cut salaries to save jobs."

This news shocked Thomas again, and the dinner in front of him no longer tasted good.

After dinner, Thomas sat alone on the sofa in a daze.

"Now that the unemployment rate is so high and it is so difficult to find a job, if I am really laid off, I may not be able to find a new job! How will I pay off my mortgage, car loan and credit card by then? Do I have to be like this?

Is Mr. Heywood divorced and bankrupt like that?

All in all, my current salary is still very considerable. Although I am not making a fortune, my quality of life is pretty good. Of course, it would be a good thing to have more benefits, but if I lose my job just to increase my benefits,

Then the gain outweighs the loss!

Tomorrow the trade union will hold a campaign, otherwise I won't go and go back to the workshop to clock in as normal, so at least I won't be on the layoff list. After all, this family still has to rely on me to support them.

What's more, I'm not the first to go back to work. Many people have already gone ahead of me. If the union settles accounts in the future, it won't be my turn!"

Thinking of this, Thomas felt much more at ease. He decided to go to bed immediately, get up early tomorrow, and go to the workshop to clock in on time.

…

Early in the morning, while enjoying breakfast, Norwood-Jewell saw the news on the TV reporting that the stock market was booming, and he suddenly felt a little bad.

Norwood-Jewell also invested in financial products, but he did not buy stocks directly, but purchased fund products. If the stock market fell, Norwood-Jewell's fund would naturally suffer losses.

After breakfast, Norwood-Jewell went straight to the Bemhull factory to deal with another matter that made him feel bad.

In front of the Bemher factory, a sparse crowd was holding signs and looking listless.

"Aren't we going to hold a campaign today? Why are there so few people!" Norwood Jewell frowned slightly.

Seeing the arrival of Norwood-Jewell, the union cadre Hanks immediately greeted him.

"The time for the event has come, why haven't everyone arrived yet!" Norwood-Jewell glanced at the crowd and said, "Hanks, your performance was pretty good in the past few campaigns, why did you drop out today?"

Chain? I’m very disappointed with your performance!”

Hanks immediately explained: "Mr. Jewell, this is not our fault. We have notified everyone, but many workers are unwilling to continue to participate in the strike. They have returned to the workshop and started clocking out for normal production!"

"What? Go back to work?" Norwood-Jewell immediately heard a classic saying in his heart, we have found a group of traitors!

"What's going on? Our union is still helping them fight, but they compromise with the management? Did the management give any benefits privately, or make a promise?" Norwood-Jewell asked immediately.

Hanks replied: "Since all members of our union have been laid off, many workers are unwilling to continue the strike with us. They believe that if the strike continues, the employer will also lay off them. In order to keep their jobs,

They all returned to the workshop.

For today’s campaign, I also told the workers that there will be a barbecue party and beer drinking after the event. That’s why so many people participated. If there had been no barbecue and beer, there would have been even fewer people!

To be honest, many union members have begun to regret it. After all, the economic situation has not been good recently, and many industries are really laying off employees. They are worried that if they are laid off this time, they will really be laid off!

Mr. Jewell, more and more people are going back to work. If this continues, our strike will really fail. We laid-off workers will really lose our jobs!"

"Don't worry, since you have joined the union, the union will definitely protect your rights and interests!" Norwood-Jewell quickly promised.

At this time, if we don’t quickly stabilize people’s hearts, the strike will really fail!

Hanks showed a dubious expression.

Everyone can say nice things, but can they really do it?

The management has used actions to tell everyone that they will not compromise and will lay off those who strike without mercy.

In the current bad economic environment, some workers have begun to compromise, no longer continue the strike, but go back to work.

Also because of the bad economic environment, jobs have become difficult to find. Recruiting new workers has become much easier for factories, so employers can lay off employees without any scruples.

If it continues, the final result will be that all the strikers will be laid off, and the factory will recruit a new group of workers, without any loss.

The real hurt is laid-off workers like Hanks, who actually lost their jobs!

It is possible for laid-off union leaders to be packaged as heroes.

However, more than 900 union members were laid off this time. Can more than 900 worker heroes be created?

Obviously this is impossible. This group of workers who have been laid off will most likely become victims of the strike.

…

There were not enough participants, and campaign activities were not carried out.

A failed campaign will have the opposite effect on the strike movement.

The workers were not fools. When they saw that the campaign was deserted, they knew that the strike would not go on. Instead of wasting time here, they should go back to work quickly to avoid being laid off by the factory.

So on the next day, many workers stopped striking and returned to the workshop, making the strike even weaker.

The next day, the number of strikers dropped off a cliff. At this time, the number of people who had returned to the factory to work again exceeded the number of people who were still participating in the strike.

Humans are social animals and have a herd mentality. If you see most people going on strike, you will go on strike. If you see most people go back to work, you will follow the crowd and go back to work.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the strike is doomed to fail. Even those who have been on the layoff list are beginning to ask their connections to find out if there is any way to go back to work.

…

At Bemher Factory, Li Weidong stood at the door of the workshop, looking at the workers working inside.

The factory's management reported: "At present, more than 2,200 workers in the factory have returned to work, and the production line can be opened normally. However, due to the shortage of workers, production capacity is still limited and has only returned to 60% of the usual level."

"Sixty percent of production capacity is acceptable. Many economists predict that the U.S. economy will experience negative growth next year and the market's consumer demand will also decrease. As a luxury car brand, our sales will definitely be greatly affected. At this time, we will scale back

Production capacity is not necessarily a bad thing." Li Weidong said.

Several managers nodded reluctantly. As the management of a production factory, their year-end bonuses are directly linked to the factory's output. Now that the factory's output has been reduced to process, it is estimated that this year's year-end bonus will be suspended.

But everyone also knows that the current economic situation is not good, layoffs are happening everywhere, and it is understandable to reduce production capacity.

What's more, as soon as Li Weidong took over Jaguar Land Rover, a group of layoffs came. This was a shock to the management, letting the management know how powerful the new boss was. No matter whether they were convinced in their hearts or not, they definitely were convinced in their mouths. No one would

Making fun of your own job.

I heard someone continue to say: "Mr. Li, the on-site workshop has resumed production, will the layoffs continue?"

"As long as there are still people who have not come back, we will continue to lay off workers until all the strikers are laid off." Li Weidong continued: "If we stop now, it will be unfair to the workers who come back to work."

Someone else said: "Mr. Li, some workers who have been laid off have expressed regret. They hope to return to the factory and will not go on strike again. I think they are skilled workers after all, and for us here

They also know the operation of the workshop quite well, do you want to give them a chance?"

"Come if you want, leave if you want, what kind of place are we here!" Li Weidong snorted coldly, and then said: "We are all adults and should know how to be responsible for our actions. Those who have been laid off want to come back,

Please wait until the next recruitment to apply again!”

Some people wanted to ask when recruitment would happen, but after thinking about the current economic prospects, they swallowed their words.

It is already a good thing that there will be no layoffs in the next two years. How can there be recruitment?

…

Workers go on strike just to get better benefits, not to lose their jobs. This is true for ordinary workers, and especially for those who join the union.

In fact, those workers who join the union care more about the gains and losses of personal interests. They join the Communist Party just to get more benefits. How many of them really seek the welfare of the workers!

To join the United Auto Workers, you have to pay 5% of your salary as membership dues. You must get more than 5% of your salary before anyone will pay for it. From another perspective, these workers who join the union are actually the most egoistic.

A group of people.

Now that the strike is facing failure, these workers who participated in the union have not reaped the benefits, but have lost their jobs. Naturally, they will not give up.

It was impossible to return to the factory, so everyone began to point their fingers at the Auto Workers Union, which led the strike.

An organization like the United Auto Workers can develop and grow by luring people with benefits. If no benefits are given, no one will follow the leadership of the United Auto Workers.

But if there are no benefits and the workers themselves have to pay, then let alone asking the workers to obey the leadership, it is already a good thing not to rebel.

…

At the strike site, the union leader Hanks was surrounded by several workers. These were also members of the union. Now that they had lost their jobs due to the strike, they naturally wanted to settle accounts with the leader.

"Hanks, what did you say before the strike? That we would definitely get better medical insurance, more pensions and longer vacations. What happened? Our jobs are gone!"

“When the factory first started laying off employees, you told us that you don’t have to be afraid, that the management would compromise and negotiate with us immediately, but the management had no intention of negotiating at all!

"Even yesterday, you told us that if we persist for a few more days, we will win! You liar, you are still lying to us!"

"It's all your responsibility. We originally had a good salary, but you told us that with a new boss, we could get a raise by just making a fuss! In the end, we lost our jobs!"

We are all adults and should be responsible for our own choices. However, a group of egoists will definitely not bear the responsibility for unemployment themselves and will pass the blame to others.

Hanks also looked aggrieved. He only followed the leadership of the United Auto Workers, and he himself was just an executor.

What's more, the previous promise has finally been fulfilled, which is a longer vacation. Now that I have been laid off, I can take an indefinite vacation.

Several angry workers were about to beat them up. At this moment, Hanks spotted Norwood Jewell approaching in the distance.

"Mr. Jewell is here! He is a senior executive of the United Auto Workers. If you have any questions, you can come to him. He will definitely be able to help you solve it!" Hanks said.

This one-step conflict transfer was so effective that the auto workers immediately ran to find Norwood-Jewell. Before Jewell could react, he was surrounded by a group of workers.

The workers still repeated what they just said, your union is a liar, your union caused me to lose my job, your union must be responsible, etc.

After all, Norwood-Jewell has rich experience. He knows that in this situation, it is useless to continue to paint the pie. No one will believe that if you persist, you will win.

"People's hearts are broken, the team can no longer carry them, and the strike may not be able to continue." Norwood-Jewell let out a long sigh.

He knew very well that since the strike was doomed to fail, it would be better to negotiate with the employer as soon as possible and ask for less or no benefits. At least he could get the workers' jobs back, which would be a decent step down for the union.

So Norwood-Jewell said: "Dear workers, please rest assured, I will go to the employer to negotiate, and your jobs will be back by then!"

…

This is a game of who can blink first, and now the union has to blink first, which means the union has lost the game.

Norwood-Jewell knew very well that if he took the initiative to negotiate with Li Weidong, he would inevitably be on the weaker side. But it was impossible not to go. If the job problem of more than 900 workers could not be solved, then the image of the union would be severely damaged.

I have to follow suit myself.

In the hotel's cafe, Norwood-Jewell met Li Weidong again.

Li Weidong said straight to the point: "Mr. Jewell, our time is precious, so let's get straight to the point! Are you here this time about the strike at Bemher Factory?"

Norwood-Jewell nodded: "Yes, our union has decided to lower some conditions. As long as you are willing to agree, we will cancel the strike immediately!"

Norwood-Jewell said, took out another document and handed it to Li Weidong.

Li Weidong read through the demands put forward by the union at a glance. The main thing was to increase various benefits, but the increase was much smaller. He also requested that previously dismissed employees be recruited back to the factory to continue working in the factory, and their positions remained unchanged.

Looking at this new request, Li Weidong smiled slightly, and then said: "There is a famous saying, what you can't get in war, you can't get at the negotiation table. I think this famous saying is more appropriate now. Jewell

Sir, if you can’t get something by striking, why do you think you can get it through negotiation!”

"If you don't agree, we will continue to strike!" Norwood-Jewell repeated the same old tune.

Li Weidong spread his hands: "I don't care. As you know, we have been accelerating layoffs. Soon, those who are still on strike will be laid off. Those who are holding signs and striking are not our employees.

, what they do has nothing to do with me!”

"Mr. Lee, if you do this, you are breaking up with us, the United Auto Workers!" Norwood-Jewell said in a threatening tone.

Even car companies like Ford and General Motors do not dare to completely break up with the United Auto Workers. Although the two sides are hostile to each other, they still have to talk. Therefore, Norwood-Jewell believes that this can

Threaten Li Weidong.

"Aren't we already at odds with each other?" Li Weidong smiled slightly and then said, "Mr. Jewell, if I had the will to negotiate, I would have done so long ago. Why wait until now?"

"Mr. Li, do you know what will happen if you break up with our Auto Workers Union? You will face not only financial losses, but also reputational losses! For car brands, the loss of reputation is the most important thing.

It means losing market share!”

However, Li Weidong still had an indifferent expression: "I don't deny that you have the ability to destroy my reputation, but I am not an American. If my reputation is bad, it will be bad. It will not affect me much. Foreigners have a much bad reputation in the United States.

Okay, so don’t miss me!

As for market share, I don’t think the United States is Jaguar Land Rover’s main market. What’s more, the current economic situation is very bad. How many people in the United States do you think will be able to consume luxury brands in the next few years?”

Future good news is called "30% off Leopard" in China, and in the United States, Jaguar Land Rover's sales are also very worrying. Although there are occasional sales growth of more than 10%, the sales base is low after all.

If you sell 1,000 cars in a month, even if the sales increase by 100%, you will only sell 1,000 more cars. If you sell 100,000 cars in a month, you only need to increase by 1% to sell 1,000 more cars.

Jaguar Land Rover's sales in the US market are only about 10,000 per month, which is worse than even Volvo and Infiniti, and less than one-tenth of BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus are the luxury brands that Americans love. Although Audi's sales are worse than these three brands, they are still in the first echelon. In addition, the United States also has local luxury brands such as Cadillac and Lincoln.

To put it another way, if Jaguar Land Rover's sales in the United States are very good, Ford Group will not sell this brand.

As for reputation, it is indeed very important to entrepreneurs. But Li Weidong is not an American, and his development focus is not in the United States. He does not care about his reputation in the American market. Perhaps being scolded more harshly by Americans will also help.

Yu Li Weidong increased his reputation in the country.

This is like Soros being shouted down by everyone in Asia, like a street rat, but he is an idol worshiped by many people in the United States. Because this guy stole all the money from Asian countries and brought it back to the United States. In the eyes of Americans,

Naturally he became a national hero.

These threats from Norwood-Jewell have no lethal effect on Li Weidong. He has no cards to play and has no choice but to compromise.

Norwood-Jewell sighed: "Mr. Li, as long as you are willing to recruit the laid-off workers, we will stop the strike. This is our bottom line!"

"The recent economic situation is very bad. Perhaps because of the outbreak of a global financial crisis, many companies are laying off workers, so I don't plan to recruit any more workers in the near future." Li Weidong said, showing a winner's smile.

Li Weidong's smile made Norwood Jewell furious, but he was helpless. How could a loser have the right to negotiate terms with a winner!

…

After walking out of the hotel and looking at the blue sky, Norwood-Jewell finally understood that this meeting was not about Li Weidong's willingness to negotiate, but simply to humiliate himself.

A feeling of hatred arose in Norwood Jewell's heart, along with a trace of regret.

"This strike should not have happened in the first place! Damn it, it's all this damn financial crisis that gave the employer an advantage! If the economy hadn't been so bad, I would have definitely won!" Norwood-Jewell murmured to himself

Speaking in language.

For the United Auto Workers, not only will they lose money this time, but they will also lose their reputation.

Not a single benefit has been gained. It can be said that this is the first defeat for the Auto Workers union in decades.

The responsibility for the failure will inevitably be borne by Norwood-Jewell, but he has already thought of how to explain to the top management of the Auto Workers Union that he would blame the financial crisis!