|
Linde's labor representatives told Reuters last week they
planned to vote against the deal, which they fear will entail
significant job losses in Europe to achieve $1 billion in
synergies, and a loss of influence over strategy.
Labor controls half the seats on the supervisory board, which
will have to approve the deal once the terms are finalised in
the next month or so - but Chairman Wolfgang Reitzle can cast a
double vote in the case of a deadlock.
"Yes, I'm willing to do that," he told the FT in a comment
published on Monday.
Linde shares were up 1.4 percent by 0820 GMT on Monday, the
top-gainer in the German blue chip index <.GDAXI>, which was 0.2
percent higher.
Reitzle is the driving force behind the planned all-share merger
of equals, which would reunite a global Linde group split by the
First World War a century ago. It is the second attempt by the
two companies to agree a deal.
Chief Executive Aldo Belloni told the FT his role was to provide
better communication to workers about the deal, not to grant
further concessions.
Belloni was brought out of retirement by Reitzle to head Linde
after the breakdown of the first attempt to merge with Praxair
led to the departure of the then-CEO and finance chief.
Linde's supervisory board is set to meet on Thursday. It will
not yet vote on the merger as the terms are still being
negotiated.
(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; editing by Susan Thomas)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
