Around the World: France

Workers release bosses

French workers facing steep layoffs at a Caterpillar factory freed four bosses they had been holding at the US manufacturer's plant in the Alps to protest the job cuts.

Escorted by police and protected by union security, the four managers were able to leave their offices late yesterday morning, more than 24 hours after they were detained. Several hundred angry workers booed their bosses as they emerged. Talks over the severance package were to resume later yesterday. Earlier, the workers made a direct appeal to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to save their jobs.