Quote from: Guardian
French transport workers threaten to pollute river Seine
Angry lorry drivers at struggling transportation company threaten to pour more than 8,000 litres of toxic fuel additive into Parisian river unless their demands for redundancy pay-offs are met
First they kidnapped their bosses; then they threatened to blow up their own factories. Now, in the latest phase of France's summer of discontent, disgruntled workers are turning to environmental blackmail as a stick to beat the management into submission.
Angry lorry drivers at Serta, a struggling transportation company, are threatening to pour more than 8,000 litres of toxic fuel additive into the Seine if their demands for redundancy pay-offs are not met. Acknowledging the "dramatic" effect this could have on the river's fish population, they insist they will not be dissuaded unless their bosses give in.
"It's less dramatic than ... people being made redundant and sacrificed," Jean-Pierre Villemin from the CFDT union told French radio. "It's the only means we have of getting what we want."
Around 50 workers at the distribution site at La Vaupalière near Rouen are demanding severance packages of 15,000 euros after Serta, which went into administration a year ago, announced job cuts. The transportation company, which has suffered badly in the financial crisis, has already cut around 80 jobs since the start of the year.
Their threat to flood with the harmful substance their on-site drainage system - designed to channel rainwater back into the Seine - is the latest tactic used by workers desperate to draw attention to their plight.
Last month, workers at New Fabris, a bankrupt car parts plant, and at Nortel, an insolvent telecommunications company, vowed to explode gas cylinders at their factories if requests for improved severance package were not met. Both threats have since been lifted.
These actions, decried as media stunts by their critics, followed a springtime spate of so-called "boss-nappings" across France in which business executives were taken hostage by their bellicose employees. Such episodes are familiar features in the country's sociopolitical landscape and received more attention abroad than they did at home.
The more recent threats of environmental damage, however, are more unusual.
It may be that the Serta drivers are seeking to recreate the success of an infamous workers' campaign nine years ago in which workers at the Cellatex textile plant poured thousands of litres of sulphuric acid into the river Meuse. They were rewarded by management with a year-long redundancy package of 80% of their salary.
"The workers ... do not want to leave with the frankly pathetic minimum legal compensation," said Villemin, who has been on strike with the workers since last week. "If we do not obtain decent pay-offs we will unfortunately be reduced to opening the [fuel] drums and pour the contents into the sewers."
Antoine Faucher, campaign director of Greenpeace France, said the threats, though worrying, were in fact a reflection of growing concern for the environment. "It's significant because today, perhaps unlike previous years, the environment is recognised in itself as a resource," he said. "To take it hostage may be of greater value now than it was before."
It's a trend recently. Kidnapping, terrorism, sabotage. WTF, that's not a strike, it's a revolution. A strike is just not working. It's passive. This is something else. The Terrors 2009(R).
Organized labour and organized crime are one in the same.
Unions are like organized crime only in US. :rolleyes:
Revolution is in their blood.
So is striking.
Got to hand it to them. Nobody really gives a shit when you go on strike, but polluting the Seine? Now they're talking.
Send in Rainbow Six to destroy the environmental terrorists.
Arrest the lot of them.
Lets fuck up our own country, Huzzah!
That's nothing new in France. You should have seen the farmer protests of the 80s against Spanish products.
I thought polluting rivers was what the businesses do.
anti-terror laws should be applied to those kind of 'strikes'. The faces of these people would be worth gold when they realise that.
The comment from the Greenpeace guy is utterly outrageous.
Quote from: Martinus on September 01, 2009, 01:47:42 AM
The comment from the Greenpeace guy is utterly outrageous.
:huh:
Um, not really at all. He is actually quite right.
And I generally have disdain for Greenpeace.
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 01, 2009, 03:31:42 AM
:huh:
Um, not really at all. He is actually quite right.
And I generally have disdain for Greenpeace.
It sounds like he's partially excusing the threat, though that may just be because of the way the journalist presented his remark.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 01, 2009, 05:10:15 AM
It sounds like he's partially excusing the threat, though that may just be because of the way the journalist presented his remark.
[Gerry Adams]I canna' condone environmental terrorism, but the dead fishes had it coming[/Gerry Adams]
Quote from: Razgovory on August 31, 2009, 06:31:38 PM
I thought polluting rivers was what the businesses do.
Businesses do not want unfair competition I guess.
Makes sense I suppose, striking lorry drivers is just part of life in France, no one cares.
But still...awful.
Going to dump toxic fuel into a river as a protest. Sounds like a rational reaction to a grievance...NOT. :huh:
Maybe these enviro-terrorist types will be spending some time in France's version of Gitmo? :mad:
QuoteAntoine Faucher, campaign director of Greenpeace France, said the threats, though worrying, were in fact a reflection of growing concern for the environment. "It's significant because today, perhaps unlike previous years, the environment is recognised in itself as a resource," he said. "To take it hostage may be of greater value now than it was before."
Wow I never heard a Greenpeace dude so happy somebody is dumping toxic waste in a river before.
Wahoo! This means people care about the river now that they are commiting eco-terrorism! :w00t:
Maybe those lorry drivers should go work for a profiteable company. Or form their own. Just saying the one they work for seems to be unable to pay them. Dumping toxic waste in a river is not likely to magically make money appear.
Or maybe the government swoops in to pay salaries in France, maybe that trucking company is too big to fail.
Quote from: Razgovory on August 31, 2009, 06:31:38 PM
I thought polluting rivers was what the businesses do.
Which goes to show that organized unions these days are in the pockets of Big Business.
Quote from: Razgovory on August 31, 2009, 06:31:38 PM
I thought polluting rivers was what the businesses do.
At least they do it to make profits. :(
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 01, 2009, 05:10:15 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 01, 2009, 03:31:42 AM
:huh:
Um, not really at all. He is actually quite right.
And I generally have disdain for Greenpeace.
It sounds like he's partially excusing the threat, though that may just be because of the way the journalist presented his remark.
Yeah, that's my point.
Quote from: Valmy on September 01, 2009, 08:21:13 AM
QuoteAntoine Faucher, campaign director of Greenpeace France, said the threats, though worrying, were in fact a reflection of growing concern for the environment. "It's significant because today, perhaps unlike previous years, the environment is recognised in itself as a resource," he said. "To take it hostage may be of greater value now than it was before."
Wow I never heard a Greenpeace dude so happy somebody is dumping toxic waste in a river before.
Wahoo! This means people care about the river now that they are commiting eco-terrorism! :w00t:
Yeah. By that logic Holocaust was the highest affirmation of human life.
Quote from: Martinus on September 01, 2009, 08:28:05 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 01, 2009, 05:10:15 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 01, 2009, 03:31:42 AM
:huh:
Um, not really at all. He is actually quite right.
And I generally have disdain for Greenpeace.
It sounds like he's partially excusing the threat, though that may just be because of the way the journalist presented his remark.
Yeah, that's my point.
I read the quote over a few times, looking for that. And I concede one can read that into it...but I think that takes a great leap of bias on the part of the reader.
But, it still mostly looks to me as if he is making the point that becasue we place a higher value on ecology and the environment today, than we used to (and this is undeniably true, I think), that threatening to pollute something carries more weight than it would have in the past.
Nothing here a little whiff of grapeshot couldn't fix.
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 01, 2009, 08:35:38 AM
Quote from: Martinus on September 01, 2009, 08:28:05 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 01, 2009, 05:10:15 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 01, 2009, 03:31:42 AM
:huh:
Um, not really at all. He is actually quite right.
And I generally have disdain for Greenpeace.
It sounds like he's partially excusing the threat, though that may just be because of the way the journalist presented his remark.
Yeah, that's my point.
I read the quote over a few times, looking for that. And I concede one can read that into it...but I think that takes a great leap of bias on the part of the reader.
But, it still mostly looks to me as if he is making the point that becasue we place a higher value on ecology and the environment today, than we used to (and this is undeniably true, I think), that threatening to pollute something carries more weight than it would have in the past.
Well, seeing how Greenpeace usually goes into hysterics over environmental issues, their "matter-of-fact" "it's-swell-people-are-threatening-to-destroy-an-ecosystem" approach can only be seen as a tacit approval (which I assume is for political reasons).
I really don't see a problem with what the Greenpeace person said here...It is a bit of a good sign for the environment that people are taking this as a major threat these days wheras in the not too distant past it would only be the loss of the fuel that would concern people, screw the river.
That Greenpeace would disprove of actual dumping is taken by default.
Quote from: Tyr on September 01, 2009, 09:27:21 AM
I really don't see a problem with what the Greenpeace person said here...It is a bit of a good sign for the environment that people are taking this as a major threat these days wheras in the not too distant past it would only be the loss of the fuel that would concern people, screw the river.
That Greenpeace would disprove of actual dumping is taken by default.
Him spinning the dumping of toxic waste as a good thing was not strange to you?
Quote from: Valmy on September 01, 2009, 09:29:04 AM
Him spinning the dumping of toxic waste as a good thing was not strange to you?
He's not doing that though.
Quote
Antoine Faucher, campaign director of Greenpeace France, said the threats, though worrying, were in fact a reflection of growing concern for the environment. "It's significant because today, perhaps unlike previous years, the environment is recognised in itself as a resource," he said. "To take it hostage may be of greater value now than it was before."
Though this incident is quite obviously bad (I bet the journalist cut a lot of what he said out down into 'worrying') it does act as a sign for people holding better respect for the environment these days;.
Quote from: Valmy on September 01, 2009, 09:29:04 AM
Him spinning the dumping of toxic waste as a good thing was not strange to you?
I wouldn't call it "strange." Remember, he's not simply a radical environmentalist, he's most likely a radical lefty on all sorts of issues. Denouncing striking workers is something that would give him great consternation, even when they merit it according to his other principles.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on September 01, 2009, 09:39:45 AM
I wouldn't call it "strange." Remember, he's not simply a radical environmentalist, he's most likely a radical lefty on all sorts of issues. Denouncing striking workers is something that would give him great consternation, even when they merit it according to his other principles.
Right that was sort of what we were laughing at.
'It is ok if my political allies destroy the environment. Remember Capitalism causes pollution.
But...the Soviet Union they...
Shuddup you!'
I think that you're reading way too much into the couple of phrases that are mentioned in the article. He's just saying that society gives a greater value to the environment nowadays. Who knows what he said in the whole interview that the journo is summarizing as "worrying".
And I don't like Greenpeace either.
Quote from: The Larch on September 01, 2009, 09:48:49 AM
I think that you're reading way too much into the couple of phrases that are mentioned in the article. He's just saying that society gives a greater value to the environment nowadays. Who knows what he said in the whole interview that the journo is summarizing as "worrying".
Maybe.
It is rather coincidental.
Quote from: The Larch on September 01, 2009, 09:48:49 AM
I think that you're reading way too much into the couple of phrases that are mentioned in the article. He's just saying that society gives a greater value to the environment nowadays. Who knows what he said in the whole interview that the journo is summarizing as "worrying".
And I don't like Greenpeace either.
I agree, people are reading way too much into one statement.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on September 01, 2009, 10:34:37 AM
I agree, people are reading way too much into one statement.
Maybe because it is a stupid statement? I am pretty sure people would have been upset over 8,000 litres of toxic stuff being dumped into the Seine even 30 years ago.
Yes the environmentalist movement is just a month old dude.
Talk about reaching to find the positive.
The solution is to import a few hundred thousand Chinese lorry drivers, who will happily work for far less.
Quote from: Neil on August 31, 2009, 05:56:09 PM
Organized labour and organized crime are one in the same.
Word.
Yeah, I agree with the guys that say this is terrorism.
To Gitmo with them!
Quote from: Monoriu on September 01, 2009, 08:34:14 PM
The solution is to import a few hundred thousand Chinese lorry drivers, who will happily work for far less.
We tried this with Blacks.
Quote from: Siege on September 01, 2009, 08:41:40 PM
Quote from: Neil on August 31, 2009, 05:56:09 PM
Organized labour and organized crime are one in the same.
Word.
Is there even organized labor in the Arab world?
Quote from: Siege on September 01, 2009, 08:41:40 PM
Quote from: Neil on August 31, 2009, 05:56:09 PM
Organized labour and organized crime are one in the same.
Word.
I take it you are a big backer of the Israeli Labor party?
Quote from: Monoriu on September 01, 2009, 08:34:14 PM
The solution is to import a few hundred thousand Chinese lorry drivers, who will happily work for far less.
That would lead to French officials being the ones dumped into the river.
In my little world, those guys signed their pink slips, since one wouldn't have to worry about employment while inside of a cell, so I think we should applaud them for bringing a decisive conclusion to the standoff. :)
Quote from: Valmy on September 01, 2009, 10:16:12 PM
Quote from: Siege on September 01, 2009, 08:41:40 PM
Quote from: Neil on August 31, 2009, 05:56:09 PM
Organized labour and organized crime are one in the same.
Word.
I take it you are a big backer of the Israeli Labor party?
Funny.
I didn't vote in the last israeli elections (being an amerikkkan and all that), but you know perfectly well that Bibi would have gotten my vote.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on September 01, 2009, 11:59:27 PM
In my little world, those guys signed their pink slips, since one wouldn't have to worry about employment while inside of a cell, so I think we should applaud them for bringing a decisive conclusion to the standoff. :)
Que? :huh:
Quote from: Monoriu on September 01, 2009, 08:34:14 PM
The solution is to import a few hundred thousand Chinese lorry drivers, who will happily work for far less.
They'd rather import a few million Muslims