Credit Soapbox

The workers will feel something from the upswing - that means not only Labour Minister Müntefering. However, ideas about how far apart. While the SPD with the idea of a Investivlohns anfreundet, ripping the economy of Wiegardt the concept in the air.
Berlin - Labor Minister Franz Muentefering will not miss the Spielverderbers convey the impression: "It is time for courage, the spiral back up to shoot," said the SPD politician "Bild" newspaper about the salary situation in Germany . Good wages took advantage of the domestic economy and thus the upswing. With regard to the currently widely discussed Investivlohns but gave the SPD minister cautiously. The involvement of employees in corporate profits also Investivlöhne was an interesting topic, he said cautiously: "But decent wages are more important - and the sovereignty of free collective bargaining." The structure of a Investivlohns in which parts of income to an enterprise participation, whether for other reasons not without problems, is the Vice-Chancellor. "It is as simple as it looks, it is not." Should be clear about the consequences if a company in red figures equipment or even go bankruptcy, said Muentefering. "I imagine the Investivlohn as part of company pension schemes." It must ensure that an employee in the event of a change in job angespartes money to go bankrupt and could not lose.
SPD general secretary Hubertus Heil expressed similar. High corporate earnings should be in income reflected the workers, he said on ZDF. The payment of Investivlohn need but on a voluntary basis. A compulsion is not possible. "Zügig talk" However, SPD chief Short Beck with his advocacy of workers' participation via salary slowly in the party success. The SPD chairman had at the weekend up a neatly pressed and several early implementation of the concept in prospect. "We want in any case quickly talk with each other and discuss a model," he said on Sunday evening in the ZDF broadcast "Berlin directly." After decades of debate, the CDU before employee participation in profits and capital of companies on their party a week ago endorsed. To Beck and made the country's chief Hesse Roland Koch (CDU) at the weekend also eagerly promoting the concept: The Investivlohn bring opportunities, especially for increasing the equity of companies by their employees. They agreed also in terms of the "downstream taxation of such assets". Taxes would therefore only when the payment is due. In addition, said they have pointed out that the Investivlohn against the risk of insolvency of the company secured and must be voluntary. Economic Weiser does not believe in Investivlohn The economy of Wolfgang Wiegardt showed, however, extremely sceptical about the introduction of Investivlöhnen. "The issue is likely dead run," he told the "Handelsblatt". It will be discussed for 30 years without that something happened. One reason was that 85 percent of the companies people company. Among those was an employee participation in the capital rather difficult manner.
In other countries opposed capital-dominated societies, where such a model is much easier to implement, such as employee shares. The employers' association Gesamtmetall rejected the concept. President Martin Kannegiesser granted in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung "the proposal Becks a rejection, with the help of Investivlohns of the collective bargaining agreement could be one percent higher. "These are the economic structures too complex. The world is different today than at the time when the idea of Investivlohns was born. Today the world is changing much faster. The people have a lot more opportunities to invest their money them. The different Needs can not be on a collective lumped together. "
Angesprochen to the proposal of Prime Minister Koch of Hesse, the concrete structure of the Investivlohns the collective parties to decide Kannegiesser said simply: "I can not imagine that this specific topic of the next round of collective bargaining."
Howeveralso promised Kannegießer regarding the upcoming wage round generosity. You have the long-lost connection to the world economy managed. The success of "want and should be" fair share of workers, he said the "New Osnabrücker Zeitung. IG Metall chief Juergen Peters konterte today in the paper that he hoped that employers "their words with deeds."
So far the experience had shown that "whenever it comes to employers in collective bargaining and workers refuse their share of Erwirtschafteten deny", criticized the union. Several media reports that the union will in the coming rounds of negotiations up to seven percent wage increase. ase / AP / dpa / Reuters

Other countries, other markets: Volkswagen will for the Russian market a specially designed model to build. Now, CEO Pischetsrieder in Kaluga the foundation stone for its first Russian factory.
Wolfsburg / Kaluga - The Volkswagen Group has to build its first plant in Russia in attack. VW chief Bernd Pischetsrieder and the Russian Economics Minister German Gref presented on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a car production in the city of Kaluga, about 160 kilometers southwest of Moscow. The contract for the work was already in May this year.
DPA
Volkswagen chief Pischetsrieder (left), Economics Minister Gref: foundation stone for up to 3500 new jobs According to the European Autobauers should grßten in Kaluga early as next year with the assembly of vehicles teilzerlegten for Volkswagen and Skoda started. 2009 will be full production with an annual capacity of 115,000 vehicles for the Russian market.
the decision for the Russian plant was employed in Germany has been criticized because the German VW plants certified high overcapacity. Pischetsrieder in Germany runs a strict rehabilitation course. End of the week, the group because of the recovery rate
a much lower profits than in the first nine months of last year.
the plant in Kaluga will be on the edge of the city on a 400-acre site up to 3500 jobs. More covered by the settlement of suppliers to be expected. The investment by Volkswagen in the Kaluga have heard a volume of 370 million euros. The city of Kaluga has around 330,000 inhabitants and is located approximately 150 kilometers southwest of Moscow. According to previous plans will be the first Russian VW factory of Skoda Oktavia initially and later the products Volkswagen Polo, Passat and Touareg from the tape roll. All three VW models in Russia are very popular. According to information should also Pischetsrieders
A specially to the Russian market designed model tailored to the production in 2009. VW will expand with local suppliers. It is, 60 to 70 percent of components from Russia.
In the past few years have already other major car makers tried on the Russian market with his own works foothold. These include Toyota with a 140 million U.S. dollars expensive plant near St. Petersburg and Renault with a 250-million-dollar production plant in Moscow. According to the latest statistics in Russia are currently around 155 cars on each 1000 inhabitants, which was approximately the car density in Argentina. For comparison, Germany has roughly one out of every two citizens have a car and one in four in Poland. kaz / AP / dpa-AFX / gms

Ignorant, without feeling, raffgierig: Federal Finance Minister Steinbrück takes top managers because of their exorbitant salaries. The Maßlosigkeit some economic top executives endangering the welfare of society.
Frankfurt am Main - There were parts of the economy in a certain Maßlosigkeit, especially since large segments of the population currently loaded with impositions would, said Peer Steinbrück (SPD) of the "Sueddeutsche Zeitung". "It's me against the grain when supervisory councils and boards no longer the proportions in mind and do not know that they play an exemplary role," Steinbrück was quoted.
REUTERS
Minister Steinbrück: "I am against the grain" Some top managers seem to have no sense that it is not to increase salaries of board or huge severance payments could go if they are just the share price of their company in the cellar had driven. The people were too ready sometimes difficult adjustments when there is a balance there. Will they be carried several injured, threatens the legitimacy of the social market economy, the minister warned.
According toSteinbrücks threatens a split of the company. "If you allow this decoupling, knocking the problems of a day at the doors of the bessergestellten audience." The finance minister urged the industry to take more responsibility in the context of schools for vocational education and the university system is implemented. Meanwhile, railway chief dismissed reports Mehdorn, his salary would have quadrupled since 1999. "That is fetched. If I would get 400 percent, as claimed, it would be wrong and not appropriate," he said of the "Welt am Sonntag".
His income was an increase, the amount he wanted but also on demand. "We will disclose what the board members get at the very moment when the train on the stock market can go," promised Mehdorn and pointed out that the salaries of railway boards compared to boards in Dax-30 companies "undeniably at the end of the ranking ". ffr / AP

Peugeot is looking for a successor to the former CEO Jean-Martin Folz. As a favorite, according to press reports, Airbus CEO Christian Streiff. Speculation about a possible exchange crisis, the aircraft manufacturer, however, categorically.
Toulouse - Airbus would speculate on the exchange at the group's top "categorically", a spokeswoman said today in Toulouse. The French business magazine "Challenge" and the economic newspaper La Tribune had reported that Streiff as the new head of the Peugeot Autobauers in conversation, when the previous group handlebar Jean-Martin Folz early next year in retirement.
AFP
Airbus CEO Streiff: lonely position at Airbus Streiff is only since the beginning of July, Airbus chief and the leadership of parent company EADS because of delivery delays for the large-bodied aircraft A380-billion dollar a savings plan. This, however, the Group stßt resistance, which is why the decision was postponed substantial cuts.
"According to sources, Christian Streiff in the presentation of the plan felt very lonely," it noted in "La Tribune". The plan, he then "at the request of the shareholders and especially under pressure from the French Ministry of Finance to weaken."
The family owners of Peugeot Streiff had now "to their own favorites for the successor of Jean-Martin Folz," reported "Challenge", referring to the environment of the Peugeot family, a good 30 percent of the car-maker holds. The 59-year-old Folz had surprisingly early December its withdrawal in the first quarter of 2007. Peugeot He has nearly ten years.
A Peugeot spokesman reacted to the reports of "Challenge" and "La Tribune" substantial serene than its Airbus colleague. The successor of Folz be ready by the end of the year, he said. mik / AFP / Reuters / Reuters

By Michael Friday The dispute between DaimlerChrysler and the Freiburg critic Juergen Grässlin reached a new level of escalation: Daimler CEO Zetsche demanded 50,000 euros for violating his personality rights. Since Grässlin the payment so far refused, threatening Zetsches lawyer with a process.
Hamburg - About his lawyer Christian Schertz Zetsche called the author in early January to "volunteer to be immaterial compensation money" to pay as the "manager magazin" reported. Grässlin Zetsches have privacy rights in the strongest injured. The group will head the money to donate a non-profit organization.
AFP
Daimler boss Zetsche: critics will not pay DaimlerChrysler
Grässlin critics had Zetsche in December because of the suspicion of uneidlichen false statement. It is about the statement in a process 2002 against the carrier Gerhard Schweinle. The DaimlerChrysler had accused of fraud.
Zetsche had stated in court that he had in his time as Sales Executive grey market transactions expressly prohibited. He had known nothing about it that Schweinle Daimler cars in the normal distribution network over exports. Grässlin expressed in his display against the "strong suspicion" that these statements were false - and the umbrella organization of the critical common shareholders by this press release.
Grässlin initially refused to pay. Schertz lawyer for this case, however, already announced in court. The automotive group and the author Freiburg are in recent times often encountered in court. Grässlin subject in two processes in Hamburg and Berlin. The recent dispute with Zetsche, the country has one hand, a Berlin court fine against the author refused. On the other hand forbade him by the court injunction from the central messages of his display.

By Anne Preissner and Ursula Schwarzer Even once had the tradition firm Grundig by foreign investors from the insolvency will be preserved - but still deep, the company figures. Only thanks to a cash injection may initially continue to exist.
Hamburg - Almost three years was the successor company Grundig Intermedia founded - whose financial situation is still extremely tense. The deficit adds up alone in the first two quarters of the current fiscal year to 20 million euros, as the "manager magazin" reported.
Just because the two joint shareholder (the Turkish Beko Electronics and the British Alba) have undertaken, in January the capital of the German subsidiary of now only 1.8 million euro by more than 40 million euros to increase, Grundig Intermedia initially continue to exist. The deficit was caused, among other things, by serious shortcomings in the quality of the Grundig TVs, a considerable stocks and high costs. In the fast-growing German market for LCD and plasma TVs Grundig Intermedia holds a marginal share of 2.5 percent.
The newsole director Hans-Peter Haase is now the workforce from 450 to 360 employees reduced. After idea will also have a paging logistics and information technology.

A two-procedure, then the judgement - from the FDP politician Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, the trial of Peter Hartz hasty pace. The evidence would be much more thoroughly in order to clarify the allegations. SPD politician, however, to keep Hartz.
Berlin - With the agreement of prosecution, court and defence in the trial of the ex-VW's board will be the sense of justice of citizens as damaged as a criminal himself, said the former Federal Minister of Justice, the "Berliner Zeitung". "
In the Passauer Neue Presse "Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger described it as worrying that more and more often held collusion process. "It is not acceptable that the sentence in such a procedure in the back room of court, defense and prosecution ausgekungelt." Hartz was yesterday because of infidelity and favouring a works council member to two years imprisonment on probation. In addition, the district court imposed Brunswick against the 65-year-olds a fine of 576,000 euros.
Especially in the caseHartz, the so widely discussed in public was, they would have a normal with ordinary criminal evidence required, Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said. "With such a complex situation as alleged in this case would have been in the courtroom full information and transparency and must give a statement to all points." On the other hand, pointed the SPD-right politician Joachim Stünker in the "Berliner Zeitung" that the Hartz process in contrast to Mannesmann proceedings with a termination of the proceedings had ended. "It was a condemnation, and Hartz is regarded as a criminal."
claims, because of the bribery affair to the designated Hartz labour market reforms rename, described the economic spokesman of the SPD, Rainer Wend, as unrealistic. "If I could, I would wegbeschließen," he said. He was however convinced that the name had already been established that the renaming would not help. itz / AP / ddp

Rosy news for the German economy: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation sees the economy on the right track. According to the experts expected growth, consumption and employment in the next two years.
Paris - The German economy will continue despite the increase in value-added tax on 1 January, in the next two years of robust growth rate and gets more thrust of the global economy humming. More jobs and higher incomes, therefore, bring in next year finally private demand strong momentum. Inflation remained under control initially, predicted the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) today published in its semi-annual "Economic Outlook". Worldwide, the growth in the OECD area by 2007 balanced and strong.
DDP
Rising consumption, more jobs: No impact from the higher VAT Because of the increase in value-added tax to 19 percent is likely to accelerate economic growth in the coming year in Germany from 2.6 to 1.8 percent slow. The growth is mainly by exports and equipment investments, while private consumption only mßige expanded 0.3 percent. As early as 2008 but are expected back 2.1 percent economic growth, according to the experts. Then, private consumption with an increase of 1.8 percent to a genuine economic support.
the upswing rising employment in Germany every year to 0.5 to 0.6 percent. This pushes the unemployment rate in the coming year from 8.0 to 7.7 percent and 2008 even at 7.2 percent. Slightly more would be there if the powers in the delivery of long-term unemployed would be distributed rationally. However, the base of the structural unemployment high. It is used by the OECD estimated at 7.3 percent and is expected until 2008 by 0.2 percentage points to shrink. Against this background, the OECD discussed the extension of reference of the unemployment benefit, I for the elderly critical. The measure would make the short labour supply and higher wage settlements tend to increase unemployment, they say. Even now rule in certain areas of labour shortages. The experts instead recommend further reforms to boost potential growth. This ranges from cutting red tape in the tax system on easing the craft regulations to more competition in industries with large networks such as the electricity supply industry.
Thanks to years of wage restraint remains the core inflation in Germany, according to the OECD below one percent. The price rises will in the coming year due to the tax increase from 1.7 to 1.9 percent accelerate to 2008 back to 1.0 percent. Because wages are likely to continue to grow less than productivity and prices. After 2008 but can bottlenecks in the production of an acceleration of inflation expected.
Well, the economic outlook for the rest of industrialised countries. So should the economy in the euro area in the coming year by 2.2 percent and 2008 to expand by 2.3 percent. The United States, with 2.4 and 2.7 percent. Even in Japan, will the growth with 2.0 percent down properly. For the whole OECD area said the Paris organization to grow by 2.5 percent next year and 2.7 percent ahead of 2008. KAZ / dpa-AFX

The Internet company Google is the Internet video portal YouTube. Price: 1.65 billion U.S. dollars in shares. The search engine specialist secures the leading role in the growing market for video on the World Wide Web.
New York - Day long had the media about the purchase of YouTube speculation. On Monday evening after close of the market prepared the Internet companies Google is finally an end to rumors and announced the takeover. Both companies have approved the transaction, informed the search engine Croesus. The acquisition should be completed in the fourth quarter of 2006. It is the first time that an Internet site, based on the involvement of users based, with more than one billion dollars assessed.
details of the agreement: YouTube retain its headquarters in San Bruno, California and works remain independent. YouTube will remain as a brand and then every 67 employees, including the founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, keep.
The takeover of the loss still startup company, which is a platform for the publication of videos offers Internet users, Google is by far the most expensive acquisition in the eight-company history. The previous record in the Web 2.0 Sales noise holds News Corp. Rupert Murdoch., For the MySpace community network paid 580 million U.S. dollars. Industry experts: Only "an idiot" would buy YouTube observers, the current Google deal critically. YouTube is the world despite its high traffic is still an Internet company in its infancy. According to experts, Google insists that more and more viewers and advertisers from television to the Internet. But critics consider the purchase of YouTube very reason for a risky move, because YouTubes attractiveness, not least to the many copyright-protected content based.
innovator Mark Cuban example, in the nineties Broadcast.com co-founder of the company (and current owner of the basketball teams Dallas Mavericks), had therefore only a month ago at a conference said, but "an idiot" would buy YouTube. But now it seems as if Google and YouTube with the new alliances are feverishly this obstacle in the way.
After the news of the YouTube acquisition gave Google stock in trade slightly to the post, after the Nasdaq in the wake of speculation about the takeover more than two percent. fok / cis / dpa / AP / Reuters

From Annett Mueller, Bucharest
In no other European capital proliferate billboards as uninhibited as in Bucharest. Even before the houses are huge billboards and obstruct the windows. A few young people will be slow to bunt - they organize the resistance.
residential block of Florentina Bantea - nine floors, about 100 tenants - it smells cabbage and household waste. From the outside does the dreary building block in the centre of Bucharest colorful and kitschy: On the wall hangs a poster advertising leinwandgroßes.
Florentina Bantea looking forward to it - even if the advertising posters in front of their windows to their views and daylight. Bantea earns revenue from advertising 40 euros per month, is the fourth of their salary as an engineer. As a mother of two children needs them "the money and not the view." The Community House, since the block of flats on the poster hanging divided. "We do not renounce our daylight", say the one. Florentina Bantea says: "If we stick together, we could earn more. Then hinge on advertising throughout the bloc." Now the advertising stretches over five floors. To overlook it is not already.
For advertisers, the Romanian capital a paradise - they are allowed to plakatieren the most unusual places. Not only at bus stops, with Plakataufstellern or supermarkets, but also to Invest ruins, blocks from the Ceausescu era and historic buildings, the gradual decline.
Hundreds of posters advertisingpenalties alone the city center, renovated a "Paris of the East" could be - as the Bucharest had their town a hundred years ago. But currently acts as the centre of a huge unaufgeräumter supermarket. Too many earn on proliferation The journalist and activist Dragos Bucurenci says of the city, it was the "epitome of wild capitalism, where only the law of money counts." Bucurenci is one of the few in the two-million-metropolis, the active approach against the posters. "The others think the new freedom is one that everyone can do what he wants," he says. In theory, the City Council approve any advertising. With the advertising revenue could be up to 18 million euros and thus earn their budgets and finally rehabilitate the inner city. In reality, the city just one million euros, as many billboards for the missing official contracts, as Mayor Adriean Videanu says.
Public criticism of the inscrutable contract award, there are still only rarely - deserve to many people. In addition to the House authorities and tenants are the advertisers who place orders, and district officials, the advertisement against a private pay abnicken.
frustrated tenants, which opposes advertising in front of their windows refused, were very rare, says Florin Tuca. He is the managing director of the advertising agency Euro Media, the industry leader in the Romanian advertising market. "We will continue our customers with security to send competitors, just because we know that an advertisement in a living room really does not belong," he says. Most of the tenant makes a monetary amount gefügig - in poverty, any revenue. "A huge construction site" More attention with criticism of their advertising reaches a group of young people who are "beepfashion". By calling on the Internet and on radio sharpened the Bukarestern, that the advertising should not accept chaos - and certainly not on the historic Revolution Square. At this place where hundreds of people in the fall of the Ceausescu regime died, memorials and candles would fit better than the spot a supermarket, it noted in the call.
The Bucharest has many wake-up call. 30,000 visitors called the petition on the Internet, several thousand have signed it. Beepfashion member Dragos Bucurenci, 24, has already called a success. "People must learn that they can say their city."
"An exceptional idea," says Mayor Videanu the petition. Signed it still has not. Advertising chaos even bother him - but he has more urgent issues on the agenda. Thus, the entire sewerage, gas and water pipeline network in the capital be renewed. "Bucharest is expected in the coming years, a huge construction site," predicts the politicians, the billions of euros to urban redevelopment missing. Why should he because revenue from advertising contracts refrain he asks.
Beepfashion still can not loose. The Group calls for insight into the advertising contracts, so publicly, "who in the city administration that advertising be held responsible for chaos," as Bucurenci says. He knows it will not be easy, the ball of cliques aufzurollen: "We have proper laws. We have as many rules, in order to circumvent the law."