France, Alternative Libertaire AL #225 - Haribo: Revolt, it costs sweet! (fr)

The Thursday, January 10, 2013 in the morning, 250 people gathered outside the gates of 
the Haribo factory in Uz?s (Gard). A spirit of solidarity launched by the CGT section 
Haribo after the layoff, 6 December 2012, Jean-Christophe Jolbert. ---- In all, there are 
six serious offenses which are alleged to Jean-Christophe Jolbert, Haribo employee, 43 
years old, recently elected CGT committee of hygiene, safety and working conditions 
(CHS-CT). " ? The situation of this man is unacceptable, scandalous "will prevail, to the 
factory, a member of the delegation of the CGT Marseille Haribo. The scandal is that these 
six offenses (theft of sweets, production slowdowns, etc.). Denounced by employee-es of 
the company to the management " go back there for nearly eight months and are totally 
unfounded ?

The direction of Haribo in addressing Jolbert, above all target elected CHS-CT, a body 
which has, in itself, an important power that employers are aware: to stop a workshop an 
office or a factory! And no shortage of reasons: pollution, sanitation, lack of security, 
rates, working conditions, harassment ...

Mobilization work

Jolbert no mistake also not when he says: " It is not me that is precisely attack, but 
rather the elected CGT CHS-CT, because I singled finger of the things we did not want. My 
work can not be questioned, also at the time I would have committed the offense, there are 
eight months ago, I even had an increase in my salary and my coefficient as a reward ! ".

On December 28, the first gathering of a hundred supporters had already taken place during 
the works exceptional. For this second appointment, the mobilization work paid at force 
broadcasts leaflets in the main cities of Gard, since twice as many people were present.

Management pressure

Haribo CGT had also wanted to extend support to other unions and departmental policies. 
Delegations of the CNT, the NPA and South were invited to speak at the rally. Speech that 
made the local union CGT Uz?s and departmental union CGT will do anything to prevent it. 
Old habits Stalinist trade union monopoly in vogue (unfortunately) in the "Midi red" have 
the tenacious life.

The campaign for the reinstatement of Jean-Christophe looks difficult, however. Management 
uses all means to prevent a real solidarity of employee-es of Haribo, outside the CGT 
union members. Many are pressured to the point that among the 250 people on 10 January, a 
minority of workers and workers were present when the challenge was to close the factory 
that day. This does not detract from the determination of the CGT Haribo and accuracy of 
his struggle. In a county where unemployment is over 13%, which plans layoffs multiply 
(Shellbox, Jallate, Salins du Midi, Vachaud), the case of trade union repression, which 
reflects another century, deserves any case all our Support. The struggle continues ...

Jeremiah Berthuin (AL N?mes)