On 19 Apr 2007 12:57:17 -0700, in rec.travel.europe, sLuGhUnTeR <michaelnewport@yahoo.com>
arranged some electrons, so they looked like this:
... On Apr 19, 9:56 pm, sLuGhUnTeR <michaelnewp...@yahoo.com> wrote:
... > [url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6573369.stm[/url]
... >
... > Speak Dutch, says Belgian company
... >
... > Language has become a contentious issue in Belgium
... > A Belgian auto parts supplier has ordered its workforce to speak only
... > Dutch or risk being fired.
... >
... > The human resources boss at HP Pelzer, in the Belgian town of Genk,
... > said the rule was "to avoid cliques forming".
... >
... > Genk is in Belgium's Dutch-speaking Flemish region but 70% of the
... > company's 125-strong workforce is non-Belgian.
... >
... > Half of the non-Belgian workers at the company are Turkish and have
... > complained to politicians and the union that the rule is aimed at
... > them.
... >
... > The rule will be in force at all times, including lunch breaks.
... >
... > "We have people from Italy, India, Poland, Algeria here," human
... > resources manager Geert Vermote told Reuters news agency.
... >
... > "It's to avoid cliques forming here and there."
... >
... > 'Three strikes'
... >
... > Workers found breaking the Dutch-only language rule are to be given a
... > warning. Three warnings would lead to a worker's dismissal.
... >
... > Two staff have received written warnings, Reuters said.
... >
... > Mr Vermote said the "three strikes" policy applied to all of the
... > company's rules, not just the language prohibition.
... >
... > "It's really nothing other than other rules we have, such as a ban on
... > smoking."
... >
... > Belgium has seen a number of language rows between the Dutch-speaking
... > Flemish population and the French-speaking Walloons.
...
... kus mijn klooten !
Yeah, they will...