US 'job creator' locked in plant by Chinese laborers demanding severance

[superpatriotman]

http://touch.sun-sentinel.com/#section/1099/article/p2p-76429778/

A Coral Springs (FL) businessman said he is being held hostage in his manufacturing plant outside Beijing, China, for a fourth day on Monday by up to 100 workers demanding severance pay after quitting their jobs.

Charles "Chip" Starnes, 42, said he has been prevented from leaving his office in the plant in the Huairou district of the northeastern Beijing suburbs since Thursday evening.

"I'm in a complete shakedown right now, with no control, no access. I'm being blackmailed," Starnes said by telephone about midnight Sunday (noon Monday Beijing time). "It is a very bad situation that should not be happening."

According to Starnes and Les Capella, co-owners of Specialty Medical Supplies, Inc., the imbroglio began early last week after Starnes told about 50 of the plant's 180 workers that they would be laid off due to a decision to stop producing one of the company's products, a blood lancet device used by diabetes patients.

The company intends to move production to Mumbai, India, said Capella.

The laid-off workers were given a severance of about $5,000, in keeping with Chinese labor laws, Capella said.

When the plant's other workers, who produce and package gauze pads, heard about the severance, "they said forget about it, we're done, we want the money too," said Capella.

More at link

[Gman]

1. That's the way it should be done!

I hope they get the money.