French workers lock up
more bosses over job cuts
TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) -
Factory staff in southwestern France detained two managers on
Tuesday to protest against their site's closure in the latest
incident of workers locking up their bosses.
As order books shrivel in the
global economic downturn, companies have sought to close sites
across France to reduce costs. French workers have fought back by
detaining bosses to secure better severance packages.
Staff at a factory run by U.S.
electronic components maker Molex held two managers
overnight.
"The first night of detention went
very well. We are continuing our action," said Pierre Belgarde, a
representative of the powerful CGT trade union.
The incident follows similar moves
by workers at electronics firm Sony, bulldozer firm Caterpillar and
Post-it maker 3M.
Molex has announced it will shut
the plant in the town of Villemur-sur-Tarn, near Toulouse, in June
because it is not profitable enough.
Union representatives held talks
on Tuesday with local authorities in an attempt to find a
compromise but the detained bosses -- manager Marcus Kerriou and
human resources director Coline Colboc -- refused to negotiate
while they were locked up.
In other cases, a compromise has
been reached while bosses were being held, leading to their
release.
Around 200 of the 283 staff at
Molex's French unit voted to detain the pair and they have been
held since Monday evening.
Police have been stationed near
the plant, to which access has been blocked by staff. Police have
appeared reluctant to intervene in similar cases for fear of
violence.
(Reporting by Nicolas Fichot;
writing by Francois Murphy; Editing by Farah Master)