Todays ELECTRONIC TELEGRAPH reports about some additional problems at Rover,
besides the economical ones.
"Rover workers 'planted Hitler hate-mail in cars'
By Andrew Alderson and Robert Tilley in Munich
Rover jobs to go in 'one fell swoop'
An investigation has begun into allegations that Nazi slogans, abusive notes
and
even a dead cat have been found in new Rover cars delivered to Germany from the
Longbridge factory in Britain.
The inquiry by BMW in Germany follows complaints by two dealers that they found
racist rantings in the glove compartments of cars. One of the notes allegedly
read, "Greetings to Adolf", while another bore a swastika.
Another German dealer is reported to have found a dead cat sewn into the
upholstery. "It hadn't crept in there and died," said the agent, who wanted to
remain anonymous. It had been hidden there deliberately. This is only some of
the more disgusting examples of the behaviour of Rover's management and
workforce towards us."
The claims - strongly denied yesterday by a Rover spokesman in Britain - are
the latest example of the deteriorating relationship between Rover workers in
England and dealers in Germany. The incidents allegedly took place before it
was revealed last week that BMW was selling off Rover and Land Rover,leaving
thousands of British workers facing redundancy.
An official at BMW in Munich said that the growing resentment among dealers
posed a problem to the company, but it had not prompted last week's
announcement. The official said: "This wasn't a factor in the decision to sell
Rover and Land Rover." ....................snip..........................."
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