Uniquely French strike tactics

Striking French workers are notorious for their tactics. Rather than simply staying away from work, they have been known to block major highways, burn cars (according to this report), and otherwise cause maximum disruption to the running of the country. But the latest tactic is truly special.

This Reuters story reports on workers at a factory operated by US firm 3M, who held their French manager hostage overnight to protest against plans to lay off half the staff. They blocked his door with a wardrobe, thus barricading him in his office, and said they would not let him out until he agreed to discuss more favourable terms for workers facing redundancy. The report says that locking up managers is even becoming a tradition in French labour disputes, with police unwilling to intervene in order to avoid violence.

President Sarkozy's reforms are not proving popular in France, with unemployment nearing 10 per cent, and three-quarters of the population supporting massive strikes across the country, according to this BBC report.

It would seem that the 35 hour week introduced in 2000 did not help to reduce unemployment, as originally hoped. Of course the French are not exactly famous for their long hours culture, and this caricature by the UK website the Daily Mash is a hilarious example of this perception.

However, you have to hand it to them - the latest tactic may be illegal, but it seems to be working. The Reuters article states that earlier this month, employees at a Sony factory in southwest France detained the CEO and HR Director of the Japanese group's French arm overnight, and eventually secured better terms for workers facing the sack.

Not sure it'll catch on here though!

 

Greg Cain

Greg Cain is an employment lawyer at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts.

 

 

Picture: A worker protesting at a demonstration at the Clairoix tire plant in Northern France. Photo/AP