CENTRAL GENERALE HAS RECENTLY welcomed a U.S. delegation from Imerys. Their biggest shareholder is none other than Albert Frère and his well-known Belgian group. What is happening there is scandalous. Anti-union films are shown to personnel during workers’ meetings. Supervisors have been instructed to discredit the union and to see that workers do not have any contact with it. Anti-union T-shirts are being circulated in the factory.

The delegation came, therefore, to ask for our support in order to put pressure on the management: we do not regard this as a problem.

Be aware: this does not happen only to the other guys--this kind of practice might very well cross the Atlantic!

Incidentally, we already have in Belgium a number of small and medium size firms where an American-type situation makes contacts between union and workers very difficult. We will not remain silent. The heart of the Centrale Générale beats in the chest of its delegates and we are at their side each and every time bosses seek to hurt them in any way.

Consequently, we support the actions of our American colleagues.