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Article:

Third credit crunch kidnap in fortnight as company boss is seized by furious workers

By PETER ALLEN
Last updated at 12:51 PM on 25th March 2009

A leading executive has been kidnapped by striking workers in France.

In the third credit crunch abduction inside two weeks, pharmaceuticals chief Luc Rousselet was locked into a room at the 3M factory at Pithiviers, some 60 miles south of Paris.

Mr Rousselet, the director of the American 3M Group, had arrived on Tuesday lunchtime to negotiate severance payments after 110 of the workforce of 235 were sacked.

But as he tried to leave in the early afternoon he was grabbed by militant trade unionists, leaving him ‘extremely distressed and worried about what was going to happen,’ said a company spokesman.

But Jean-François Caparros, of the FO union, said: ‘Management is responsible for this situation. This kind of action is the only negotiating tool we have.

‘The director is in no danger. All we are asking is that our demands for fairer pay and conditions are met.’

A local police spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the situation. A judicial representative is attending along with our officers.’

Ten days ago militant workers at a Sony factory in France took two of the firm's executives hostage in a dispute over lay-offs.

Serge Foucher, CEO of Sony France, and Roland Bentz, head of human resources, were only allowed to leave after being held at the factory in the south-west of the country for 18 hours.

Sacked employees grabbed the executives after they arrived at the Pontonx-sur-l'Adour plant to negotiate their severance packages.

The 3M kidnap is the latest in a series of angry clashes between unions and management in France, which is being hit by a wave of factory closures and mass lay-offs due to the global economic downturn.

Last week up to three million people took to the streets of France to protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy’s handling of the financial crisis.

The 3M Group has 11 sites producing medicine across France, employing some 2700 people.

Comment:

Civil unrest will become commonplace.(It could escalate at any time, especially when people have nowhere to turn)

People will get hurt and some necessary goods (foodstuffs, pharmacuticles etc.) will be in jeopardy of not getting to market.

Get out of debt, stock up on non-perishable foods and whatever other emergency supplies you can think of and afford (also, that you can use after).

Good Luck to all!