Employees of Lafarge in hunger strike - September 28, 2011
To save their jobs, twelve employees of the Lafarge plant in Frangey, in the Yonne, have chosen the weapon of hunger. They begin on Tuesday the eighth consecutive day without food. Their camp of five tents in which they placed cots, is placed just under the windows of the direction of the cement business of the group at Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine.
With this strong action, these employees, joined by the mayor of the commune of the Yonne, hoping to push Lafarge to reverse its decision, announced in late May to close their factory. Frangey site, dating back over 80 years and employs 74 employees, should gradually close its doors next year to a permanent closure in April 2013.Lafarge justify its decision with "a local market that is reduced by 40% over-capacity and an inability of the site to produce cement that meets new environmental standards."
The CGT, the majority union in the factory, these sweeping arguments. "The business is viable and profitable. And if the activity of the furnaces is low, it is because the traditional customers come from other sites such as Le Havre. And when asked why they prefer to Lafarge as trucks do 500 km to deliver, they can not be explained, "protested Sylvain Moreno, union leader, who understands that this is part of" the strategy of large ". False, answer a spokesman for the cement, "There was never any agreement between Lafarge and its competitors."
"A pool damaged"
As the situation escalates, Lafarge insists that the closure will be without pay.The group "has provided 100% of reclassification with a job on a site of Lafarge Cement in France," said a spokesman. Other support measures include a support for moving expenses, payment of the new rent for 15 years, or the accompanying spouse in finding a new job. "We want a smooth transition because we understand the emotion and anxiety of employees," said she. "If the goal of Lafarge, CAC 40 company, is close to reclassify, industrial activity in France has fallen very low," said Sylvain Moreno for his part.
Meanwhile in Saint-Cloud, Lafarge claims to be in contact "permanent" with the striking employees who received a "medical assistance, psychological and technical" from the group instant payday loan. Lafarge, which does not want this movement drags on, wants to "find an expeditious solution."But the ground is hard to find since the cement does not reverse its decision so that the strikers call for maintaining a pure and simple activity on the site. "I do not know how long this can last, says Sylvain Moreno. But I know that employees are determined to stay the course. We are ready for us to launch legal proceedings against the group to prove a lack of economic reasons, "said trade unionist.
"What is annoying is that it's 74 fewer jobs in the basin of Tonnerre is already quite damaged. Since 2003, 1,100 jobs have already been lost here, "says Maurice Godard, representative of the local union CGT de Tonnerre (Yonne).
Political turn
An extraordinary central committee (CEC), during which the situation will be discussed Frangey, is expected on Thursday. "There will be others.We want to continue the dialogue process, "says one at Lafarge. "There is no social dialogue, slice Sylvain Moreno, who says that management plans to relocate the appointment for he did not take place in Saint-Cloud," which will result in throwing fuel to the fire, "he warns.
Meanwhile, the movement takes a turn more and more political. Yesterday, Manuel Valls, a candidate for the primary PS, passing the camp, said that "Lafarge is able to maintain this site. This is the direction to move because you have to maintain this site. " Before him, the President of the Republic Standing, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, came to see these "employees thrown like dogs" on the basis of arguments that "does not hold water."
The movement seems however not have the desired resonance within the company.A call to stop work was issued Monday on other sites but there has been little follow-up, pushing the CGT to regret "what little humanity" by other employees of the group.
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