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)