HP packing workers seal bosses in conference room

Workers bossnapped five execs at a French logistics plant yesterday, amidst anger at HP's decision to switch printer packaging activities to Malaysia. Workers at FM Logistics at Woippy in NE France are angry that 400 jobs are set to go at the firm, after HP, a major customer, decided to shift its printer packing business from …

[Luis Ogando]

'Allo 'Allo

Probably not politically correct, but wouldn't it be great if one of the hostages was that police officer from 'Allo 'Allo with the really bad accent, trying his best to fit in..

"Good moaning. I was pissing by the durr when I hod a nose."

Classic!

Paris, 'cos she knows about a French Lock-In...

[Anonymous Coward]

and we wonder

and we wonder why the french generally do better out of trade disputes than we do

[Dean]

EDS workers take note

Maybe EDS workers should take note of this example.....

[Random Noise]

How big?

Presumably the room was about 600x time the size of the man trapped inside?

[Dan O'Donovan]

By HP Standards

They'll be packed away with plenty of space then ..

B-bum tish.

[Tim]

Ironic.

That HP workers are more efficient at boxing up their managers than their products! I bet they left loads of space and packing foam in the boardroom though.

[Anonymous Coward]

future competitive.

SO.. where shall i locate any blue collar jobs for my new global company.... er not France..

Well done to the french workers for reminding us all that the french will strike at the drop of a hat and demand any and everything....

Malaysia.. cheaper, less militant workers. I can see why they re-located there.

[Jonathan]

Again?

Do the French ever do any work or do they just strike the whole time?

[Nick]

Unsurprising.

The French are revolting. Many of us have known that for years.

[Yorkshirepudding]

two things the french comprehend well

strike and surrender

both usually follow the other in some form

[crypt]

Go on!

Better than just lying in the street and accepting being disposable labour.

workers and trade unions should take note

[Vega]

Haven't they heard of "false imprisonment"?

Strange how the French state tolerates this nonsense. I guess "la liberte" doesn't apply to stuff like holding people against their will and blocking highways and ports... In some less enlightened anglo-saxon places we would by now be hearing these criminals whine about how their right to "peaceful" protest were being infringed upon by the riot police...

[Anonymous Coward]

Putain!

Go France, keep it real. Too bad the author of the story seems like he's mumbling under his breath. I'd rather have the workers settle the issues than any trade delegation that's supposed to "regulate" outsourcing. Kudos to them, and for their (albiet very close to violent) non-violent ways of persuasion.

--Bill Gates, because well, it probably makes him laugh too.

[Christopher Ahrens]

So the package priners, eh?

So just take a box for one of those huge multifunction behemoths and ship the entire office building....

[Grandcross]

Ummm.... kidnapping?

There was a time when people used to be arrested and prosecuted for this. And until this happens, the kidnappings will continue.

I honestly don't see why anyone would set up shop in France.

[Brian Whittle]

the french eh

Do the French never wonder why there is so much unemployment in their fine country ?. They ave some of the craziest employment laws that discourage business set-ups , shame

[raving angry loony]

good one.

Given that bosses simply refuse to talk unless forced, I see nothing wrong with this tactic. This way they can't just give the workers the finger and go home with their next paycheque. They actually have to face the people that they are putting on the street.

[Ken Hagan]

The ones that got away...

...were "released" to go home to their small children. Clearly these ruthless workers will stop at nothing.

[elderlybloke]

Dear Yorkshirepudding

Do you have to behave like AWOL Bush ( who hid during the Vietnam War) and swaggered around on an aircraft carrier pretending to be a combatant .

[david mccormick]

they obviously don't read BOFH

They got left a water cooler. He'd have left them a bucket and had the camera's rolling with a book running on who cracked first.