Almost half of (French) people believe it is acceptable for workers facing layoffs to lock up their bosses, according to an opinion poll published on Tuesday.
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 labor action dubbed "bossnapping" (by) the media.
A poll by the CSA institute for Le Parisien (newspaper) found 50 percent of French people surveyed disapproved of such acts, but 45 percent thought they were (acceptable).
"They are (not) in the majority ... but 45 percent 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 percent of blue-collar (workers) polled approved of bossnappings while 41 percent disapproved. Among white-collar workers, 59 percent (were) against the practice while 40 percent 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 labor 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."
Question)
1. How do you think of the event of bossnapping?
2. What other social problems are caused by financial recession?