Trouble a' t'Usine

The car industry in France is not selling enough cars - not surprising really with the economic situation. France has several ways to combat these situations, including 'partial unemployment' and everyone going on holiday.
Where I am working, there is also a more drastic solution and people are being laid off. Details are sill under negotiation as far as I know (I am not very involved, being a temporary employee anyway) and there are lots of ad hoc meetings taking place. Often at the works gate as in this photo. I have no idea what they do there, perhaps there is a spokesman with information or perhaps not. I had to drive through this crowd to go to work (after lunch) and they parted to let me through. All very polite and civilised, if a little chilly at the moment.
Going though a time when there are people being laid off is never easy. It appears to be handled a little differently to the times I have known when this happened in England. It is my hope that there will be people who retire, who get work elsewhere, and as few in a bad situation as possible. The French are very pragmatic and sensible so I have hopes that they will be successful, at least as much as possible, in this case.