Looks like France isn’t the place to be if you want to move up the corporate ladder to management. Employees at a 3M factory found out that a bunch of jobs were being cut so they are fighting back. Peaceful protest? Not so much. They decided to hold their boss hostage, barricading him in his office overnight until he agrees to better terms. It appears he’s still hole up in there even as I type.
Apparently it’s common practice that when French workers catch wind that there are layoffs coming down the pike, they take matters into their own hands and refuse to take it lying down. In fact, employees at a Sony factory in southwest France pulled the same antics earlier this month and successfully negotiated a better severance package for themselves. It sounds utterly insane, but the police don’t seem the least bit interested in stepping in, for fear of violence.
Union rep Jean-Fracois Caparros has drawn a line in the sand stating, "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… it is out of question that he leaves without discussing our conditions.”
Imagine us stupid Americans, just bending over, taking our pink slips and heading to the unemployment line. What a bunch of pansy-asses.
That is why firms line the trading floor with security when they are planning on dishing out the "we appreciate your dedication and one hundred hour weeks, now please leave" speech.
I've always thought it was cool that you could punch somebody in the face in France without any fear of being sued or police involvement. This is a new level though.
You sure about that? got any links?
Anyway, I saw the manager on tv (he was "released") and he seemed to be okay to stay to discuss the thing with his employees, so he wasn't a real hostage.
If they weren't going to restrain him by force, he was never a real hostage...
But if he stayed behind to "discuss the thing with his employees," then he just gave them what they wanted. Where I'm from, that's the same as negotiating with terrorists.
An actually interesting post, thanks Affluenza
This is pretty ridiculous though. If the manager walked out and the workers started beating on him, would the police just ignore that too?
Apparently holding people hostage is not a criminal offense in France.
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