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Captive British bosses at French factory are released

by mudricky | April 8, 2009 at 03:18 am

279 views | 68 Recommendations | 14 comments

Workers at a French factory, due to close, have released their three bosses after they agreed to more talks.

100 employees face redundancy at the firm, which manufactures adhesive films and tapes for the car and construction industries.

The rouge workers held their bosses captive for over 24-hours and blocked entrances to the factory using trucks.

Recently presidents from three universities have also been taken hostage by students protesting at education cuts.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy said it was "totally unacceptable".

The latest kidnappings were carried out by staff at the closure-threatened Scapa adhesive factory at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, in the south of France.

Trade union members grabbed the executives, including European operations director Derek Sherwin, after negotiations over the loss of 68 jobs collapsed on Tuesday.

Workers are holding three British bosses captive at an adhesives factory in France over plans to close the site.

The executives and a local manager were taken hostage at British firm Scapa on Tuesday night, police said.

European finance director Ian Bushell said unions representing staff carried out the "non-aggressive" action - the latest of several similar incidents.

A truck was blocking the entrance to the plant in Bellegarde sur Valserine in the south east, Mr Bushell added.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to end the practice of "boss-napping" after militant workers targeted four factories in the past month.

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Rhonda J Mangus

at 03:27 on April 8th, 2009

mudricky, please keep us updated. Thanks!

itslefty

at 05:39 on April 8th, 2009

I love the French, they are so expressive in their actions, they remind me of the musketeers, "all for one and one for all".

So, the bosses are stuck in a glue factory? (a very sticky situation to be in) :o)

Jordan Yerman

at 06:29 on April 8th, 2009

Yeah, it's definitely a trend now.

Paschen

at 07:33 on April 8th, 2009

This is not a good trend. It will only deepen the divide and increase policing. Yet I can not really blame them either for it.

jazzyzazzy

at 07:31 on April 8th, 2009

Its anarchy.and it will spread like wildfire,people are becoming desperate.The big guys have been lining their own pockets by way of neglecting their hard working men. Family men who have to pay rent or mortgages and feed a family,i dint know wither to appaul them or berate them ! but the truth is I am anti violation of any sort.

Amy Judd

at 11:35 on April 8th, 2009

I think kidnapping their bosses is going to get the employees nowhere unfortunately.

mudricky

at 05:04 on April 8th, 2009

Looks to be still ongoing, you may have found an older video as it has happened in France a few times recently.

http://news.google.co.uk/news?um=1&ned=uk&cf=all&ncl=1327866923

mudricky

at 03:32 on April 8th, 2009

Will do.

sara star

at 04:41 on April 8th, 2009

According to the video, he has been released unharmed, after 24 hours.

mudricky

at 04:45 on April 8th, 2009

okay will find out somemore and update this story.

sara star

at 05:14 on April 8th, 2009

So is this a new trend now?

A poll found earlier this week that almost half of French people believe it is acceptable for workers facing layoffs to lock up their bosses.

mudricky

at 05:51 on April 8th, 2009

Looks like it, we all know it's wrong to do that sort of thing. But I love the French for the way they stick up for each other and for things they care about.

They seem to do it better than most.