Two senior Goodyear staff are being held “hostage” at its Amiens Nord plant by protesting French workers – a situation the tyre manufacturer is describing as “a kidnapping.”
The extraordinary development in Goodyear’s long-running battle with the hardline Confederation Generale du Travail (CGT) union, surrounding its northern France plant sees a new and sinister twist added to the saga, which is fast becoming one of France’s most bitter industrial disputes.
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Goodyear’s Amiens directors of production and human resources, Bernard Glesser and Michel Dheilly, are being held against their will by what are thought to be representatives of the CGT union, with reports indicating they are being doused with water in a bid to keep them awake.
“It is a kidnapping – it is a hostage situation – people are not free to go,” a source close to Goodyear told just-auto from Amiens. “There was a meeting yesterday and after the meeting, Bernard and Michel were not able to leave the plant.
“It [is] the CGT which is holding them. Goodyear is saying it has been several years into which management has tried to come up with with solutions and proposals – but [these are] constantly rejected.”
It is believed the tense stand-off is now seeing local police become involved, although it is not yet clear whether they will force an entry to the Goodyear plant in a bid to free the two men, who have now been held more than 24 hours.
Suggestions are the police are currently working on a plan to liberate Glesser and Dheilly, with television pictures showing the men surrounded by what appear to be angry union workers.
“I don’t think the situation can go on for ever,” was one comment made to just-auto, while it is also believed the Goodyear managers have been doused with water to keep them awake.
The situation has seen saturation media coverage in France with television and radio crews camped outside the building and although there has been no formal government reaction so far, Economic Redevelopment Minister, Arnaud Montebourg, has been taking a close interest in fate of the Amiens plant that could see around 1,200 jobs lost.
It appears the CGT is angry surrounding potential redundancy payments to staff, although Goodyear has been attempting to broker a solution involving redeployment or transfer for some time.
The CGT was not immediately available for comment.
