A U.S. company boss who was held in captivity in China for nearly a week arrived in South Florida early Friday morning.
Starnes was greeted by family and friends at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
On Thursday, Starnes said he and a union representative resolved the pay dispute with the Chinese workers who had been detaining him at a Beijing plant. They reached a deal overnight on Thursday to pay the scores of workers who had demanded severance packages similar to ones given to laid-off co-workers in a phased-out division, even though the company said the remaining workers weren't being laid off.
"We're happy the ordeal's over. We look forward to getting Chip back," said Les Capella with Specialty Medical Supplies. "Government officials from Beijing that came in and got him and he was whisked out and put in one car and about two blocks later, put in another car, and then headed out to Beijing."
About 100 workers were demanding back pay and severance packages identical to those offered 30 workers being laid off from the Coral Springs, Florida-based company's plastics division.
Neither Starnes, Capella, nor district labor official Chu Lixiang gave details of the agreed compensation. Chu said all of the workers would be terminated, and Starnes said some of them would be rehired later.
Chu told reporters that the dispute was resolved "to each side's satisfaction."
"We spent at least two or three days in serious negotiations, and although the terms of the deal is private -- we got him out," added Capella.
--Family friends of Chip Starnes show up at FLL to welcome him home.