French workers detain four Caterpillar executives – Europe, World – The Independent

French workers detain four Caterpillar executives

Dozens of French workers facing the sack at a factory run by US company Caterpillar detained four managers today and demanded further talks on the announced layoffs, a union official said.

The world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment plans to slash jobs in various countries and the union official said 733 workers were set to go at the site in south eastern France out of a total of 2,700 staff.

The plant’s director, the head of human resources and two other managers had been locked in an office since this morning “in a good-natured atmosphere”, said Alain Massy, a representative of the moderate CFDT trade union.

Locking up managers is becoming a common practice in France when mass lay offs are announced, with police apparently reluctant to intervene to avoid violence.

Managers at plants run by Sony and 3M have been effectively been held hostage this month in disputes over planned redundancies. On both occasions, unions said they managed to wring concessions from the executives.

A senior police officer today negotiated a resumption of talks between unions and management at Caterpillar, but it was not immediately clear if the bosses were free to leave.

via French workers detain four Caterpillar executives – Europe, World – The Independent.