Workers at a collapsed French car parts maker have threatened to blow up their factory if they do not receive redundancy payouts from car giants Renault and Peugeot.
Staff warned they would destroy the New Fabris plant in central France if they do not receive compensation for their lost jobs by July 31.
New Fabris was declared in liquidation in April, so the workers stand to get no redundancy money, although they are entitled to draw state unemployment benefit.
They want Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroen to pay 30,000 euros (£28,500) for each of the 336 staff at the factory - about £8.6m in total, in return for its remaining stocks of equipment and machinery.
"The bottles of gas have already been placed at various parts of the factory and are connected with each other," CGT trades union official Guy Eyermann said.
"If Renault and PSA refuse to give us that money it could blow up before the end of the month," he added.
A delegation of the workers has a meeting on Thursday with Renault, which had no immediate comment.
Police also declined to comment on the threat by the workers, who are occupying the New Fabris factory at Chatellerault, near Poitiers.
The company is the successor to Fabris, founded in 1947 and put into liquidation in 2007. It was later acquired by Italian firm ZEN.
The case is the latest example of sacked French workers adopting militant tactics in order to improve their payouts.
The practice of 'bossnapping' - where managers are held hostage in their offices - has become relatively common during the economic crisis.
Send Article by Email
Send Article by IM
Blog This with Y! 360
Printable View
