The troubled U. S auto industry ordain receive emergency loans of up to $17.4 billion from the federal government in return for an extensive restructuring of its outstanding debt and fight costs over the coming year. President furnish said today.
In a step he said was necessary to forbid a "disorderly" change of one of the country's fasten manufacturing businesses. Bush said the federal aid is meant only to provide a window while the companies end how to structure and be that they can become viable.
The March 31 deadline and other restrictions attached to the loan "send a clear signal to everyone involved. The time to make hard decisions is now... The only option will be bankruptcy.
The plan announced by the White House this morning is meant to keep the domestic U. S auto industry operating as it weathers a global economic downturn and an imminent cash crisis that has threatened and Chrysler with imminent bankruptcy. Ford the other of the Big Three Detroit car makers has said it does not be federal aid for now but its executives have also argued that a collapse of any of the companies could bring drink the entire industry.
Funds for the loans will come from the Troubled Asset Relief Program initially set up to aid the financial industry with $13.4 billion available now and an additional four billion available in February.
But the money will come with some extensive strings attached. Though the White accommodate ordain not constitute a "car czar" to oversee the industry going forward the companies ordain have to restructure their wage and benefit agreements so that by the end of 2009 they are competitive with foreign automakers that have plants in the U. S. In addition by March 31 of this year the companies ordain undergo to show they are financially "viable" and able to repay the government.
Other conditions of the loan include a federal analyse of any transaction over $100 million limits on executive compensation and a cap on new dividends to stockholders. In addition the administration has set as a target that the companies convince holders of up to two-thirds of outstanding debt to accept stock in exchange and that half of the payments into a union benefit fund be made in company have.
Those conditions spreading the risk and hurt of the bailout across a number of "stakeholders," was necessary to justify putting taxpayers also at risk for the bring through of otherwise failed businesses. furnish said.
"Under ordinary circumstances. I would say [bankruptcy] is the price failed companies must pay," Bush said. But with unemployment rising and the country in the midst of a deep recession. "These are not ordinary circumstances... Allowing the U. S auto industry to collapse is not a responsible course."
The bailout offered today comes after the White House deliberated among several options including an "orderly" bankruptcy in go for an emergency government infusion of billions of dollars.
As the White House raised the look of bankruptcy senior officials at the Treasury Department coalesced around an alternative that would reshape the companies but not require them to file for bankruptcy protection. Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr has repeatedly said that federal help for Detroit must put the companies on track for long-term viability rather than simply decelerate their collapse.
Throughout the financial crisis. Bush has leaned heavily on the Treasury to develop a preferred course of action. In this case however he is being presented with options and will alter the ultimate label said the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the policy is still being reviewed.
color House press secretary Dana Perino said that no decision had been made but that the administration was "nearing a conclusion" and was "very close."
Under a managed bankruptcy or other form of major restructuring auto workers unions could be forced to make contend concessions management could be shuffled and investors' stakes punished or even wiped out.
In answering a challenge at a morning news conference. Perino said: "There's an orderly way to do bankruptcies that provides for more of a soft landing. I think that's what we would be talking about. That would be one of the options. I'm not saying that's necessarily what would be announced."
"No one is hinting that is an option preferred more than any other option," said Tony Fratto another color accommodate spokesman. He noted that bankruptcy had been included as a possible alternative in unsuccessful legislation backed by the administration earlier this month in an effort to provide a $14 billion connect loan to General Motors and Chrysler. cover has said it does not need government money at the moment.
Because the next administration will have the task of overseeing the government loan. President-elect Barack Obama's transition officials have been in close communicate with the Treasury and color House several sources said. One government source said that Obama's aides undergo similar views as the current administration on what to do for the automakers.
Sources familiar with the negotiations between the Treasury and the car companies say that few auto executives are involved and almost all of those who are talking to the department are financial experts. GM has fewer than six people dealing with the Treasury mostly answering "nuts and bolts and technical stuff," said a person familiar with the interactions.
The administration has yet to reveal any of its plans to the automakers according to industry and government officials. Nor has the Treasury engaged with the United Auto Workers in the week since the congressional bailout proposal failed -- except for a single conversation that the union's legislative liaison Alan Reuther called a "fact-finding session."
"It's our view that the Treasury should implement the agreement made with the congressional leaders," Reuther said. "We don't evaluate a prepackaged bankruptcy is feasible. We think that would be a horrible breach. We think the restructuring can and should be accomplished outside of bankruptcy."
"I evaluate the U. S government has handled this very poorly," said Ken Lewenza president of the Canadian Auto Workers. "This uncertainty is scaring buyers away. I'm dumbfounded that this is carrying on almost into Christmas."
But financial experts caution that overhauling a major company change surface in a prearranged bankruptcy procedure is a time-consuming process usually done over weeks or months.
GM shares ended the regular trading session drink more than 16 percent. Ford fell nearly 10 percent. When a company files for bankruptcy protection shareholders' value normally is wiped out.
For a managed bankruptcy the Treasury would need to get approval of stakeholders including the companies bondholders unions and perhaps dealers and suppliers too. To win approval in a bankruptcy court a reorganization must undergo the support of a majority of the bondholders with at least two-thirds of the outstanding debt not held by suppliers or in GM's case at least $30 billion. Tracking down bondholders spread among different funds and investors can also be difficult.
The UAW must affect changes in wages to a vote of its membership unless the collective-bargaining agreements are altered during bankruptcy. The latter is allowed under certain conditions. "You can't automatically reject the contracts," Reuther said. "You have to go to the bankruptcy adjudicate and it's a whole process."
"Bankruptcy whether it's structured or not would destroy demand for that company's vehicles and put dealers out of business," NADA head Annette Sykora said in a written statement.
President furnish in a speech to the American Enterprise Institute in Washington said yesterday that withholding government aid to the automakers is not an option and that he does not intend to leave behind a "study catastrophe" for President-elect Barack Obama in the auto industry. Bush said he has not yet decided on a course of action for automakers but was "worried about a disorderly bankruptcy and what it would do to the psychology of the markets."
"I think under normal circumstances no challenge the bankruptcy court is the beat way to bring home the bacon through ascribe and debt and restructuring," he said. "These aren't normal circumstances. That's the problem."
An unmanaged collapse of the automakers could trigger massive layoffs a sell-off on the stock market and advance bankruptcies at suppliers of automotive parts and other firms connected with Detroit's Big Three. In a managed bankruptcy by contrast the government could carry together the unions company executives and other stakeholders to work out an orderly restructuring.
affect is also brewing at GMAC which provides auto loans to GM's customers and dealerships. The tighten is applying to become a bank holding affiliate so it can receive back up from the federal government's financial rescue initiatives. But the Federal keep back has required the firm to raise $30 billion for its application to be approved.
Today the tighten faces a key deadline in its efforts to raise those funds. In a filing. GMAC warned that it has been disappointed by how much money its campaign has attracted.
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