Thursday, April 8, 2010

Labor Strife in Copenhagen


Thursday was a quiet day just devoted to cleaning the flat a bit, resting up after a busy day in Karlskrona and our last practice before our scrimmage on Sunday.

As many of you know, our son Andrew works for the Parsons Corporation and is involved in the labor relations business as are our friends Mike D'Antuono, Mark Johnson and Paul Sabolic.

With this in mind, Laurie and I are always checking for interesting labor related articles in the newspaper or on the net.

Laurie just e-mailed me this shocking Associated Press article that she found on the internet about what can only be described as the brutal working conditions in Copenhagen, only a 90 minute train ride south from Hässleholm.

Does the United Nations know about these deplorable conditions?

I may have to go to Copenhagen today to mediate, this could get ugly . . .

Doesn't the Royal Danish Court know what happened in nearby Russia only 93 years ago over similar oppresive working conditions?

COPENHAGEN (AP) - Scores of Carlsberg workers walked off their jobs in protest Thursday after the Danish brewer tightened laid-back rules on workplace drinking and removed beer coolers from work sites, a company spokesman said.

The warehouse and production workers in Denmark are rebelling against the company's new alcohol policy, which allows them to drink beer only during lunch hours in the canteen. Previously, they could help themselves to beer throughout the day, from coolers placed around the work sites.

The only restriction was "that you could not be drunk at work. It was up to each and everyone to be responsible," company spokesman Jens Bekke said.

Carlsberg had mulled a stricter drinking policy for years and finally decided to impose the new rules on April 1, prompting protests from the staff.

Bekke said around 800 workers went on strike Wednesday and around 250 walked off their jobs Thursday, resulting in interruptions to beer transports in and around Copenhagen.

Carlsberg's truck drivers joined the strike in sympathy - even thought they are exempt from the new rules, Bekke said. The truck drivers are permitted to bring three beers from the canteen because they often don't have time to have lunch there.

The trucks have alcohol ignition locks preventing the drivers from driving drunk, he added.


3 comments:

DPLassen said...

A paragraph seems to have been dropped from this report:

"Carlsberg officials also said the move was inspired by a desire to ensure adequate beer supplies for American football teams, and particularly their coaches, in Sweden."

George said...

The winner of the 2010 Bob Woodward Award for Integrity in Investigative Reporting goes to . . .
David P. Lassen!!!!

Andrew said...

I believe I can be available to assist in further negotiations.