The Luxembourg head of German ceramics manufacturer Villeroy and Boch was 'bossnapped' for "several hours" by workers negotiating redundancy terms, a union source said.

The first such incident in Luxembourg, following a spate of industrial hostage-taking in France and Britain over recent months, ended with country managing director Charles Antoine de Theux "not blocked from leaving his office," the source said.

The Luxembourg subsidiary's chief was taken in a "very tense atmosphere" while negotiating pay-off terms with staff in late-morning talks, unions said earlier.

Their factory is due to close next year under a plan to cut 900 jobs from the German parent company's 10 000-strong worldwide workforce.

Unions have been unable to agree redundancy terms for the plant's 230 employees with management.

Germany's far-left has also called for bossnapping to be used in industrial disputes there.

AFP

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