French Employees Hold Bosses Hostage

Four higher-ups at the Caterpillar construction equipment office in Grenoble, France, were taken hostage on Tuesday by hundreds of employees demanding negotiations after the company announced it would cut 700 jobs. Even more startling is that this latest episode was but one of three similar boss-blockading incidents in France this month.

CNN:

[Union spokeman Nicholas] Benoit said all the workers wanted to do was negotiate with Caterpillar and they were upset that the company did not show up to two earlier scheduled negotiating sessions.

The employees being held in their office were being allowed to get food, Benoit added.

Police arrived at the scene two hours after the incident began but it had not been settled.

Employees at a French 3M factory held a manager hostage for more than 24 hours Wednesday and Thursday of last week over a dispute about terms for laid-off staff.

Earlier this month, the boss of Sony France was held overnight before workers freed him after he agreed to reopen talks on compensation when the factory closed.

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AP photo / Laurent Cipriani

Le standoff: Employees of the Caterpillar plant in Grenoble argue with a policewoman in front of one of the offices where four executives were being blockaded.