No more Nutella?! French workers are threatening as much, bringing the world’s biggest Nutella factory to a near-standstill in a showdown over salary negotiations. Tensions have been mounting at the site in Villers-Ecalles in Normandy, where activists from the Workers’ Force union have been barring trucks from entering or leaving the factory for a week. The plant produces a staggering 600,000 jars of the chocolate and hazelnut spread every day — a quarter of the world’s output of a product cherished by children and adults alike. After a six-day standoff, Nutella owner Ferrero on Monday started threatening fines for workers involved in the blockade, according to a company statement. The prospect of fines didn’t deter unions. Workers’ Force says 160 of the factory’s 350 workers are taking part in a walkout to demand 4.5 percent salary increases, one-time 900-euro bonuses and better working conditions.
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