French 'explosion-threat' workers win redundancy pay

A group of French workers facing layoffs obtained extra money after threatening to blow up industrial equipment at their plant, labor union representatives said on Friday. Meanwhile, workers at two other companies continue their threats to blow up their workplaces.

Submitted by Ed on July 18, 2009

The workers, at JLG, a manufacturing company, were the third in France to make similar threats this month, after workers from Nortel, the telecommunications equipment maker, and New Fabris, a car parts maker.

JLG workers at three plants in southwestern France had been on strike for three weeks over a management plan to lay off 53 of them. After hearing news of the threats made at Nortel and New Fabris, they followed suit.

On Wednesday, the JLG workers placed four of the company’s products — large platform cranes with a total value estimated at $352,400 — in a car park and surrounded them with gas cylinders and kindling.

After talks that lasted well into Thursday night, management met their demand that laid-off workers receive 30,000 euros, or about $42,300, in compensation, and the strikers removed the gas cylinders and returned the cranes to the factory, said Christian Amadio, a JLG worker representative.

At Nortel, talks with management resumed, while workers at New Fabris are still threatening to blow up their factory. New Fabris workers have given a 31st July deadline for Renault and Peugeot, which provided 90% of the plant's work, to pay them 30,000 euros each.

Such threats signal a new escalation in tactics used by disgruntled French workers after episodes in which managers were detained by employees on company premises.

Authorities have used tough language to denounce such actions but have refrained from sending in the police to break up protests. France has a history of labor unrest, and the government wants to avoid an escalation of violence.

Comments

Steven.

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on July 18, 2009

Great news!

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 18, 2009

They didn't blow anything up, they threatened to do so. I agree with Ernie on the other thread on this topic - this is not a means of struggle for the working class generally, it elicits very little to no support (except, as usual, amongst those who become deliriously happy at the smallest prospect of "action".)

Check out this article, written in todays Guardian on bossnappings and this particular struggle - I tend to agree with the conclusions she draws... it's a way of attracting attention to a patricular struggle, nothing more.

Submitted by Farce on July 18, 2009

They didn't blow anything up, they threatened to do so.

I know, but adding the "threatening to" would've made it less snappy.

I agree with Ernie on the other thread on this topic - this is not a means of struggle for the working class generally, it elicits very little to no support (except, as usual, amongst those who become deliriously happy at the smallest prospect of "action".)

FFS, considering that our class loses pretty much every time, are we not allowed to at least celebrate a little bit when "action" gets "successful" "results"?

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 18, 2009

FFS, considering that our class loses pretty much every time, are we not allowed to at least celebrate a little bit when "action" gets "successful" "results"?

I think you're missing the point here. Sometimes workers get "results" by suing their employers in the courts. Sometimes workers get "results" in actions which are lead by unions (as most invariably are).

The question is one of method - are these methods those of the working class or, as in my opinion, not?(Which is not to say that workers 'shouldn't ' sue their employers where it is relevant, or that they shouldn't struggle because the unions are involved also). But do these methods contribute to the development of workers confidence, solidarity, their independece of action? No, even where they achieve "results".

There has to be a connection between the means and the ends (Note: I specifically DON'T think the "means justifies the ends" - that's the bourgeios justification for just about anything, including torture). The 'ends' are a society of solidarity and co-operation and the means leading us to that have to reflect that.

JPD

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by JPD on July 18, 2009

désolé, je ne peux écrire en anglais...

je suis à l'Organisation Communiste Libertaire (je traduis quelques-unes de vos infos sur le site de l'OCL)
Mais surtout je suis de Chatellerault près de l'usine Fabris dont vous avez parlé et où les ouvriers sont menacé de faire sauter l'usine avec des bouteilles de gaz.
Hier une autre machine a été brulée suite à l'échec des négociations à Paris.

Mais je pense qu'il ne faut pas fantasmer outre mesure, ce n'est pas l'insurrection. La CGT contrôle relativement bien tout, même si, au niveau supérieur la centrale ne se manifeste guère pour soutenir les "fabris".

Ce qui est frappant c'est que l'usine est comme une forteresse, les occupants y restent, pas de tentative d'ouverture à la population, peu de présence hors les murs de l'usine. On a l'impression que le choix du "médiatique" est plus important que l'extension de la solidarité active.

Ceci dit c'est quand même passionnant ne serait-ce que parce que, en ce moment, en France on a l'impression que beaucoup de choses fonctionnent par la force de l'exemple.... Ce qui ne plait pas du tout aux syndicats;

Soyons enthousiastes mais restons lucide

flaneur

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by flaneur on July 18, 2009

I meant to come on before and gloat about the ICC's lack of a clue. Then I see some of their androids still bemoaning the action.

You fruitloops will never learn, will you?

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 18, 2009

Jack, please show me where I used the word 'public' in my post. Who is this 'wider public' that you're referring to? I can only imagine it's the same people who feature in 'public opinion polls', you know, the kind which mostly say that strikers should be locked up...

From this non-existent word, you've managed to extrapolate a non-existing position (criticism of strike action). Have you never read anything we've ever written about support and solidarity with strikes?

Seriously, this is shameful.

Quite.

john

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by john on July 18, 2009

As class struggle starts hotting up is this not now the time for the ICC to realize that no-one listens to them, and everyone here disagrees with them?

Haven't they got their own website discussion board which they could use to scald workers who don't follow the ICC's strategy of the day?

Ed

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on July 18, 2009

miles

I think you're missing the point here. Sometimes workers get "results" by suing their employers in the courts. Sometimes workers get "results" in actions which are lead by unions (as most invariably are).

Yes mate, a group of workers threatening to blow up their boss' fixed assets is the same as filing a grievance.. for fuck's sake :roll:

Skips

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Skips on July 18, 2009

can someone translate JPD's message. I am not too good with french cheers.

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 18, 2009

Oh sorry, so when you said "this is not a means of struggle for the working class generally, it elicits very little to no support", you weren't refering to it eliciting support. I apologise for the misunderstanding, but I'd contest that it happened based on you having said those exact words. I'll be sure to note that next time you are saying something "elicits very little to no support", you're not talking about support, but something entirely different and completely undefined.

Thanks for the sarcasm Jack, maybe I should have been a bit more clear as you obviously didn't get it. I meant support from other workers, I would have thought that was obvious as I used the expression 'working class' (and the word 'workers' 4 times).

One of the key aspects of class struggle is the search for solidarity from other sections of the class. This is a point the ICC makes time and time again: the workers should take control of their own struggles and not be confined by sector / union / etc.. and they have to search for solidarity from other workers, whether in their own workplace or others. I said this exact thing at the recent ESOL teachers meeting

What happens at these factory occupations? In the main, they lock themselves in and thereby cut themselves off from that element of solidarity. We said something similar to this in relation to the Visteon struggle. We supported the Visteon workers struggle, but also pointed out the need to extend the struggle, to spread out of just the plants which were affected. This isn't some new position, it's something we've defended consistently for the better part of 30 years.

A better example: the Lindsey workers strike. This (second, more recent) strike provoked a huge response from other workers throughout the UK, a fantastic example of solidarity and organisation. Yes, the unions were there (and better prepared this time) and there were many fewer headlines this time around (no doubt because of the much less emphasis on 'British jobs for british workers') but the same fundamental issues faced these workers: the search for solidarity, for gaining some kind of control over their struggle. Again, we analysed and supported this struggle (from the above link):

This dramatic and victorious solidarity movement has demonstrated to the working class in Britain and internationally that active solidarity through spreading the struggle is the only way to push back the attacks. Although it only involved a few thousand workers, its extension across the country, the involvement of Polish workers, the use of mass meetings, the tendency to defy union orders, the reappearance of flying pickets after 25 years, and above all the determination to defend your comrades are indications of the potential for the future struggles. This struggle also demonstrates that far from being passive compared to workers in France or Italy, the proletariat in Britain is fully part of the international upsurge in struggles. Workers around the world will take great strength from this movement. No matter where you live, it is not often that you see the bosses cave in so completely to working class resistance.The solidarity of this struggle has also severely dented the image of construction workers as backward nationalists propagated by the media after the January strike. This will open up the potential for other sectors to follow their example.


(my emphasis)

Molly:

You fruitloops will never learn, will you?

I guess that's inherent in being a 'fruitloop' eh? ;)

Jack: You haven't answered my question: who is the 'wider public' you referred to?

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 18, 2009

Sorry, I might be incredibly ultra fucking thick - I mean sometimes I honestly don't get stuff, I hold my hands up, but I can't find those 4 uses of the words workers/working class. I can't even find one. If you could help me find them, that'd be grand?

I was referring to post 5 - your first post was after that.

You mean the wider public that you brought up, rather than me? confused

Yes, going back I can see I made a mistake in introducing the 'wider', you didn't say that, you said

Utterly pathetic. condemning the naughty workers for not adopting tactics that win public support. As if that's what wins disputes.
You've really surpassed yourselves here, I suppose next we'll be seeing criticising London Underground strikes because they alienate the public.

I'm trying to be as prcise as possible, which was why I used 'working class'. There are strikes which get 'public support' - very often the 'fact' they have public support is down to the publicisation within the media - i.e. it's a struggle that some faction of the bourgeioisie supports, eg the 'sympathy' Gordon Brown had for the Lindsey workers in January when they were (supposedly) fighting for 'BJFBW'.

Struggles which involve picketts, workers walking out, solidarity strikes tend to get a lot less 'public support' (according to the media)

Yes, obviously sometimes you need to spread the struggle to win.

It's not obvious from your posts at all. (And why only 'sometimes'?)

But if your factory has been closed, and you want enough money to get by until you get your next job, then that's not always the case.

Funnily enough, I would have said that this was exactly a situation when solidarity is most strongly needed. Workers are in a very weak position at this moment, most easily divided.

Just as an aside, isn't this a no flaming forum?

Juan Conatz

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on July 19, 2009

This whole 'wait until the rest of the working class is sympathetic' line is tired, old, useless, and quite frankly, counter revolutionary in every sense of the word. Direct action doesn't have public pollsters and the notion of 'waiting until the time is ripe' should be cast into the dustbin of history. It's amazing that there are those who still spout this nonsense in 2009.

john

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by john on July 19, 2009

at least the ICC are doing a good job of bringing everyone else on this board together in opposition to them - they're like the counter-vanguard - leading by way of getting everyone to do the exact opposite of what they say we should do

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 19, 2009

But not in the post where you said "it elicits very little to no support", which was the statement I was referring to.

I wrote:

They didn't blow anything up, they threatened to do so. I agree with Ernie on the other thread on this topic - this is not a means of struggle for the working class generally, it elicits very little to no support

Which was exactly my point, and why I took issue with you saying "it elicits very little to no support". While public support can be nice, helpful for morale, and help raise a bit extra cash, it's basically just that - a nice added extra, not what wins disputes. Therefore, I don't really give the slightest fuck if an action "elicits very little to no support". It's a non-issue for me, other than it might make arguments I have about the issue with my workmates or friends a bit harder.

I think you missed the point of my post - the 'support I was referring to was a faction of the bourgeiosie, ie. no 'support' at all:

very often the 'fact' they have public support is down to the publicisation within the media - i.e. it's a struggle that some faction of the bourgeioisie supports, eg the 'sympathy' Gordon Brown had for the Lindsey workers in January when they were (supposedly) fighting for 'BJFBW'

All very well in theory, except, that here, in this exact instance, they proved they were able to win. I'm sure they could have also won if there had been a mass strike wave across France in support of their struggle. But there wasn't and there was no need for it, since they won without it.

the point I've been trying to make is that of a general principle in the workers movement - again, not an invention of the ICC. The workers won here - and? I've already pointed out, they can win through the courts - that doesn't invalidate the need to do away with the bourgeios legal sytem...

Dead end wrote:

This whole 'wait until the rest of the working class is sympathetic' line is tired, old, useless, and quite frankly, counter revolutionary in every sense of the word. Direct action doesn't have public pollsters and the notion of 'waiting until the time is ripe' should be cast into the dustbin of history. It's amazing that there are those who still spout this nonsense in 2009.

Which is nothing to do with anything I've written on here, but don't let that get in your way of having a go at the ICC.

varlet

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by varlet on July 19, 2009

Thanks JPD for your message.
Shame people seem too busy arguing to pay attention it.

Heres a go at a translation:

"Sorry i cant write in English...

I am in the Libertarian Communist Organisation (i sometimes translate some of your info on the OCL website)
Most importantly, I come from Chatellerault near the Fabris plant which you reported on and where the workers threatened to blow up the plant with gas cylinders.
Yesterday another machine got burnt as a result of negotiations in Paris failing to achieve anything.

But i think we shouldnt get over-excited here, the situation is not exactly one of insurrection. The CGT (French union) has control over most things, even though on the top level there is not much mobilization or support for the "fabris".

What is striking is that the plant is like a fortress, the occupiers stay in there, no real attempt to open to the population, little presence outside the factory walls. It feels like they chose media attention over the extension of active solidarity.

That said this is still exhilarating, if only because these days in France it looks like a lot of things work by the force of the example (..?).... which the unions are not happy with at all.

Lets be enthusiastic but lets remain lucid."

miles

14 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by miles on July 19, 2009

Thanks for the translation nico, it's quite useful