Xavier MathieuC. Caulcutt Meeting among the members of the 'confrontation committee' Christian Lahargue, mixerC. Caulcutt "How can they say that the factory is not running at a profit?" At the general meetingC. Caulcutt "In the contract's protocol, just one comma can change everything." The hanged puppetC. Caulcutt Hanging from the factory's window Frédéric Igea, mouldings workerC. Caulcutt "The situation has got worse since the former director left." The Continental jacketC. Caulcutt Worn once again by the employees David Denoyelle, driverC. Caulcutt "They [the bosses] should come meet us face to face" Loic Vestiel, (left)C. Caulcutt "Their workers' council, they can hold it in Africa if they want." The CGT unionC. Caulcutt In 2007 they negotiated a deal to save the Clairoix factory.

Continental workers prepare local demonstration on April 3

About 100 mostly French workers stayed on afterwards, waiting for worker delegates, who had obtained permission to read a statement during the meeting.

“Workers were able to express their anger, and, according to them, a majority of small shareholders applauded their statement,” said Maillet, adding that the declaration included demands that the closure of the Clairoix site be postponed until 2012.

Authorities had feared an outbreak of violence following incidents on Tuesday, when angry workers destroyed the entrance of the Clairoix factory. French workers also sacked local prefecture offices when a court dismissed their appeal to see the closure of the site cancelled or suspended.

Productive?

Trade unions at the Clairoix Continental plant say management betrayed an earlier deal to save the factory until 2012. In 2007, they agreed to work more hours and scrap the 35-hour week, in return for guarantees the plant would not be closed.

The factory made 17 million euros in profits last year, despite management saying that the French plant is one of their least productive sites.

According to Pierre Sommé, FO trade unionist, there is only an “infinitesimal chance” they’ll save the Clairoix plant and many workers now hope their protest will help secure better severance packages.

During the shareholders meeting on Thursday, Continental boss, Karl-Thomas Neumann, said “no definitive decision had been taken over the closure of the French plant in Clairoix”, adding, however, that he did not see “any other alternative”.

The state called in to broker a deal

On Thursday, France’s Economic Revival Minister Patrick Devedjian said, in an interview with French media, that his ministry was studying “a serious [takeover] offer” to save Continental.

However, media reports say tyre workers doubt anyone would want to rescue the factory. “I have trouble imagining an investor taking over a factory that has become no more than an empty shell with 15,000 square metres and no machines,” said a factory executive in an interview with the AFP.

On April 29, state representatives, trade unions and Continental’s management will meet at the French economy ministry to discuss the closure of the plant.