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French boss barricaded in office Striking French workers free boss
(about 12 hours later)
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 workers at a factory south of Paris have freed their boss after barricading him in a row over lay-offs.
A union official said Luc Rousselet, who is allowed out for toilet breaks, could not leave the building until workers secured better conditions. Employees of the US-owned firm 3M had held its head of French operations, Luc Rousselet, for more than a day.
He has been in his office since Tuesday evening. Technology firm 3M is firing 110 out of 235 workers at the plant. They freed him only after he signed a deal to re-negotiate terms for redundant workers.
The incident was the latest of a number of cases of direct action by French workers trying to fight the effects of the economic slowdown.
About 20 workers shut Mr Rousselet in his office in the town of Pithiviers on Tuesday evening.
They eventually freed him after he agreed to re-negotiate compensation packages for the 110 workers facing redundancy at the plant.
National protests
On leaving the office, Mr Rousselet said he was satisfied that what had happened had broken the impasse at the firm.
"The conditions were not so bad," he added.
Local union official Jean-Francois Caparros had said though there was no aggression, barricading the industrial manager in his office was the workers' "only currency".
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Protesters burn tyres in Paris
One employee said Mr Rousselet had locked himself into his office after workers turned up to negotiate with him.
The protest at the 3M offices comes at a time of rising social tension linked to the impact of the economic crisis in France.
There was a similar protest earlier this month at Sony France.There was a similar protest earlier this month at Sony France.
Two managers there were held captive overnight and were only released after agreeing to restart talks on the terms of redundancies.Two managers there were held captive overnight and were only 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.
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
'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.
"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".
"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."
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".
"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.
"Everything's fine," he said.
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