Ducati for sale 1.5 EUR bi gets stuck by pressure from unions and strategic change

LONDON/MILAN/Berlin-the German automaker Volkswagen put the sale of trademark Ducati motorcycles by 1.5 billion euros on hold after resistance from German trade unions and internal cracks in the strategy, said Reuters sources familiar with the matter.
The Ducati is fully controlled by the luxury brand Audi, VW, which is at odds with the strategy of the parent company and the decision to sell the business to 91 years in the Italian city of Bologna, needs to be approved by the Supervisory Board of VW.
Union leaders, who hold half the seats on the Board of 20 members, strongly opposed to a sale, regardless of price.
VW asked five interested await to make binding offers for Ducati, which was put up for sale in April to help raise funds to finance a strategic review after the scandal of emissions from Europe''s largest automaker, said the sources.
Interested parties, some of which have expressed astonishment by the way the case was handled, they were ready to pay about 1.5 billion euros for Ducati, said the sources.
VW, Audi and representatives of trade unions did not want to comment.