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Union members waving flags and banners during a protest march in France - Source: Reuters
Almost half of French people believe it is acceptable for
workers facing layoffs to lock up their bosses, according to an
opinion poll published.
Staff at French plants run by Sony, 3M and Caterpillar have held
managers inside the factories overnight, in three separate
incidents, to demand better layoff terms - a new form of labour
action dubbed bossnapping by the media.
A poll by the CSA institute for Le Parisien newspaper found 50% of
French people surveyed disapproved of such acts, but 45% thought
they were acceptable.
"They are not in the majority ... but 45% is an enormous percentage
and it demonstrates the extent of exasperation among the public at
this time of economic crisis," Le Parisien said.
On March 31, billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault was trapped in a
taxi in Paris for an hour by staff from his PPR luxury and retail
group who were angry about layoffs.
Riot police intervened to free him.
Le Parisien found that 56% of blue-collar workers polled approved
of bossnappings while 41% disapproved.
Among white-collar workers, 59% were against the practice while
40% thought it was acceptable.
"These hostage takings, we know how it starts but no one knows how
far it can go," said Xavier Bertrand, a former labour minister now
secretary-general of the ruling UMP party.
"Our country must avoid entering a spiral of violence," he said in
reaction to the opinion poll, adding that bossnappings cannot be
tolerated.
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