4/07/2009

Do these guys understand that there is a net loss from this behavior?

While a particular group of workers might be able to gain something from this destructive behavior, when a lot or all workers do this the overall gain to workers is more than offset by the increased inefficiency of running the firms. Reuters has this:

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. . . . .

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1 Comments:

Blogger juandos said...

Well for anyone who's repeatedly visited France over a period of years this sort of group think is hardly suprising...

The country is rife with this sort of stupidity...

From the New York Times, Dec. of '07: Amazon Ordered to End Free Delivery on Books in France

Amazon.com may not offer free delivery on books in France, the high court in Versailles has ruled.

The action, brought in January 2004 by the French Booksellers' Union (Syndicat de la librairie française), accused Amazon of offering illegal discounts on books and even of selling some books below cost.

(there's more)

4/07/2009 1:44 PM  

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