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| French boss barricaded in office | French boss barricaded in office |
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| French employees of a US company have barricaded their boss in his office south of Paris as they demand better terms for workers facing redundancy. | French employees of a US company have barricaded their boss in his office south of Paris as they demand better terms for workers facing redundancy. |
| A union official said Luc Rousselet, who is allowed out for toilet breaks, could not leave the building until workers secured better conditions. | |
| Technology firm 3M is laying off 110 out of 235 workers at the French plant. | Technology firm 3M is laying off 110 out of 235 workers at the French plant. |
| Earlier this month employees of Sony France held two managers captive overnight in a similar protest. | Earlier this month employees of Sony France held two managers captive overnight in a similar protest. |
| The two were released after agreeing to restart talks on the terms of redundancies. | The two were released after agreeing to restart talks on the terms of redundancies. |
| The protest at the 3M offices in Pithiviers comes at a time of rising social tension linked to the impact of the economic crisis in France. | The protest at the 3M offices in Pithiviers comes at a time of rising social tension linked to the impact of the economic crisis in France. |
| Last week French unions staged a national strike during which they claimed as many as three million people took part in street protests against the government's economic policies. | Last week French unions staged a national strike during which they claimed as many as three million people took part in street protests against the government's economic policies. |
| On Wednesday, workers from a Continental tyre factory that is due to be closed in 2010 took to the streets in Paris, burning tyres near the presidential offices. | On Wednesday, workers from a Continental tyre factory that is due to be closed in 2010 took to the streets in Paris, burning tyres near the presidential offices. |
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| Protesters burn tyres in Paris | Protesters burn tyres in Paris |
| 'Wardrobe barricade' | 'Wardrobe barricade' |
| At the 3M protest in Pithiviers, one employee said Mr Rousselet had locked himself into his office after workers turned up to negotiate with him on Tuesday evening. | At the 3M protest in Pithiviers, one employee said Mr Rousselet had locked himself into his office after workers turned up to negotiate with him on Tuesday evening. |
| "It was not us who forced him into a corner," she said. | "It was not us who forced him into a corner," she said. |
| But local union official Jean-Francois Caparros said though there was no aggression, barricading the industrial manager in his office was the workers' "only currency". | But local union official Jean-Francois Caparros said though there was no aggression, barricading the industrial manager in his office was the workers' "only currency". |
| "Until we have a commitment from 3M that they will increase pay packets and are ready to discuss our conditions for negotiations, then Mr Rousselet will have to remain here," he said. | "Until we have a commitment from 3M that they will increase pay packets and are ready to discuss our conditions for negotiations, then Mr Rousselet will have to remain here," he said. |
| "If he wants to involve the police, then he will have to send for them, but it is out of question that he leaves without discussing our conditions." | "If he wants to involve the police, then he will have to send for them, but it is out of question that he leaves without discussing our conditions." |
| The workers are reportedly using a wardrobe to barricade the office. | The workers are reportedly using a wardrobe to barricade the office. |
| Mr Rousselet said there had been five rounds of negotiations over job cuts but there remained "substantial points of disagreement". | Mr Rousselet said there had been five rounds of negotiations over job cuts but there remained "substantial points of disagreement". |
| "These people have more to complain about than me and I knew there was this risk when I came here," he told reporters at his office. | "These people have more to complain about than me and I knew there was this risk when I came here," he told reporters at his office. |
| When Mr Rousselet left his office to go to the bathroom, workers booed as reporters asked him how he was holding up, the Associated Press news agency reports. | When Mr Rousselet left his office to go to the bathroom, workers booed as reporters asked him how he was holding up, the Associated Press news agency reports. |
| "Everything's fine," he said. | "Everything's fine," he said. |