Workers threaten to blow up machines in lay off dispute

Workers at an access equipment manufacturer in France have had their lay off demands met after threatening to blow up machines with gas canisters in the company car park.

The employees at JLG, a US firm manufacturing aerial work platforms and telehandlers, based in Tonneins in southwest France were protesting at the proposed lay off of 53 out of 163 workers.

To register their discontent the workers placed four machines worth over £200,000 in a car park and threatened to blow them up with gas canisters.

According to the BBC the gas canisters were removed when officials agreed to open talks.

Christian Amadio, head of the factory's workers' council, told the BBC that JLG had offered to pay £25,000 per laid off worker.

"It's a shame we had to reach this point. If management had wanted, we could have avoided this tough conflict," he said.