PARIS — Almost half of French people believe it is acceptable for workers facing layoffs to lock up their bosses, according to an opinion poll published yesterday.
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.
Le Parisien found 56 percent of blue-collar workers approved of bossnappings.
Among white-collar workers, 59 percent were against the practice while 40 percent were for it.