American owner of Beijing factory held hostage in China

[Ericwt]

Workers at a Chinese factory have reportedly held their American boss hostage in his office for four days over a pay dispute.

Chip Starnes, co-owner of Coral Springs, a Florida-based medical supplies company, told AP that local officials coerced him into signing off severance packages like those given to 30 co-workers in a phased-out department.
Because the company's plastics division is moving to Mumbai, India, he was in town to lay off its remaining 30 staff. Some of the workers in the other divisions got wind of this, and, coupled with rumors that the whole plant was moving to India, started demanding similar severance packages on Friday.
Mr Starnes sought to make clear that the remaining 100 workers weren't being laid off.
He said about 80 employees were blocking every exit and they were depriving him of sleep by shining bright lights and banging on windows of his first-floor office.
The workers have demanded wire transfers by Tuesday, but Mr Starnes declined to clarify the amount, saying he wanted to keep it confidential.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/american-owner-of-beijing-factory-held-hostage-by-chinese-workers-over-pay-dispute-8670726.html

Yikes! Scary stuff.

[Rock Private Office]

Yeah! Not reported in local news obviously!