Remember when the CAW workers responded to General Motors’ announcement it was closing its truck assembly plant by putting up a picket line in front of GM’s headquarters? GM went to court, got an injunction, and that was that. In France, workers are not so reserved. There’s been a rash of ‘boss-napping’ in recent months, in which workers have locked their managers in the offices in protest of cut-backs and layoffs. Now, French Nortel workers apparently threatened to blow up a French factory as part of their bargaining strategy to recover better severance terms.
I have a feeling that these tactics would not go over so well with the public and the police in North America. What’s interesting is that surveys have shown that large numbers of French citizens support the boss-nappings, and even many politicians have suggested the tactics are justified. Are North American workers just too docile in their efforts to win better employment terms?
Now THAT'S a Labour Protest!
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