French Goodyear tyre workers labelled lazy and overpaid by US company chief take two bosses hostage

Carried out by staff at the doomed Goodyear tyre factory in Amiens

Kidnapped production manager and Human Resources director

Told they cannot leave 'for the foreseeable future'



French workers described as ‘lazy and overpaid’ by an American tycoon were today holding two of their bosses hostage.



Staff at the doomed Goodyear tyre factory in Amiens, northern France, have kidnapped production manager Michel Dheilly and Human Resources director Bernard Glesser.



Huge tractor tyres have been wedged up against their office door, and they have been told they cannot leave ‘for the foreseeable future’.

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Action: French workers described as ¿lazy and overpaid¿ by an American tycoon were today holding two of their bosses hostage

Maurice Taylor - chairman of U.S. tyre giant Titan International told French industry minister Arnaud Montebourg that he would not rescue the plant

It follows Maurice Taylor - chairman of U.S. tyre giant Titan International – last year telling French industry minister Arnaud Montebourg that he would not rescue the plant, which employs 1170 people, from closure .



Mr Taylor wrote in a letter: 'I have visited the factory several times. The French workforce gets paid high wages but works only three hours.

'They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three hours and work for three. I told the French union workers this to their faces. They told me that's the French way!’



The situation is still critical for the factory, with a CGT trade union spokesman saying: ‘Sackings are taking place every day. ‘The situation is extremely serious, and desperate measures are being employed to try and deal with it.



‘The two men are being treated well – they have their mobile phones with them. Mr Montebourg should come and speak to us.’



It comes as France’s Socialist government struggles to deal with increasing industrial chaos caused by its failing economic policies.



The unemployment rate is well over 3 million, while the cost of living is also spiraling.



Meanwhile, President Francois Hollande continue to impose higher taxes, including a top rate of 75 per cent on income.

French workers are notorious for employing radical measures when faced with problems, including kidnapping their bosses.



In 2009, the Chief Executive Officer and Human Resources Director of Sony France were held captive in the south west of the country by workers demanding better severance packages.





Pictured in March riot police at Goodyear plant that employs 1,200 staff

