TOULOUSE, France, May 10, 2009 (AFP) - A French textile firm has causedoutrage by telling nine of its workers that they have the choice between the sack and redeploying to an Indian factory and taking a gigantic pay-cut.

Carreman told its workers at a plant in the southwestern town of Castresthat it would offer them pay of 69 euros (92 dollars) a month if they moved to Bangalore, union officials said at the weekend.

The average monthly salary in France is 1,321 euros.

Francois Morel, the boss of the factory, told a local paper that beforebeing allowed to lay off the workers he was obliged to offer them work elsewhere in the group under legal requirements which he described as "stupid."

CGT union official Edmond Andreu told AFP that the offer had provoked "anger mixed with stupefaction" among workers at the factory, who say it isobvious no-one will take up the proposition.

Workers at the Bangalore factory are paid the equivalent of 69 euros amonth for working a six-day week, and get an annual bonus of a month's pay as well as medical insurance. The nine Castres workers were also offered free plane tickets and a 1,000-euro bonus for moving.