Everything Is Split in Belgium, But Not the Trade Unions

From the desk of Paul Belien on Sun, 2007-10-07 16:44

A quote from Associated Press, 7 October 2007: “Belgium has 6.5 million Dutch-speakers and 4 million Francophones. Just about everything — from cable companies to boy scouts to pigeon racing clubs — is split into Dutch- and French-speaking camps.”

Everything, but not the trade unions, and they run the country.

@ NC 304

Submitted by Atlanticist911 on Mon, 2007-10-08 22:01.

Let's put it this way.It could be argued that Amsterdamsky is living proof of Buffon's 'Degeneracy thesis' in reverse.

A problem of consciousness

Submitted by RS on Mon, 2007-10-08 21:57.

Admittedly, it's easy to be glib from afar. But isn't this a problem of consciousness more than economic self-interest? Does the Flemish citizen who is a trade union member say, "I am first and foremost Flemish and secondarily a union member" or "I am first and foremost a member of this union, and after that, Flemish"? It may be the second right now, but there's no need for matters to remain that way if the Flemish national movement addresses trade unionists' lingering concerns.

The unions are nothing without the money shoveled their way by the Belgian government, which has extracted the money from the Flemish taxpayer. The Flemish national movement offers the Flemish trade union leaders a choice: if you split from your Belgian organizations and form Flemish sections, our new government will channel the requisite funds to you to distribute, as before. Otherwise, you are doomed, for you will get no money from either us or the "Belgian" (rump Walloon) government.

Trade unions

Submitted by spraynasal on Mon, 2007-10-08 23:55.

The Trade Unions are already differenciated between Flemish and Walloon sections: For instance the ACV (Flemish) and the CSC (Walloon) are far from being always in agreement; Furthermore many Flemish leaders have been close to the ACV: Wilfried Martens, Jean-Luc Dehaene..The biggest Flemish Trade Unions is Christian Democrat and in Wallonia the strongest one is the socialist FGTB.

The Flemish "national" movement, thanks God, has not the capability to dictate its terms to the Trade Unions. It's funny to imagine that a "national" movement would dictate its terms to the Trade Unions in Belgium.

For that you would need first stronger executive, with an elected head of state like in France, or an electoral system with strong majorities like in Britain. But in Belgium, as well in Flanders as in Wallonia , there is simply no "culture of confrontation" where one power has an upper hand over another one...The system is made to turn conflicts into comedies. You can see it very well with the current "negociations" for forming a "government"...It's becoming, simply, comical to see them bickering during months and months without any result.

@ Atheling and Atlanticist911

Submitted by Norman Conquest 304 on Mon, 2007-10-08 20:47.

Amsterdam-in-the-sky-with-diamonds is at it again. For bilingual people like me sharing both cultures, his remarks are most offensive. Amster-god-damn-it really despises the French and their language.

 

 

But does he understand that in so doing he also despises half of the English language?

 

 

I’ve read quite a few comments of yours and very often it seems to me that you have been trying to rectify low-calibre people’s pre-conceived ideas. To no avail, mind you. It’s beyond their grasp anyway.

 

 

So I’ve decided to ignore them, simply because they don’t understand that we have got strong intellectual weapons in store they can’t even think of.

But we’ll not shoot at the ambulance, shall we? At least, not immediately. Let them come closer.  

 

 

@NC304

Submitted by atheling on Mon, 2007-10-08 23:20.

No amount of logic will dissuade Amsterdamsky. He has clearly demonstrated that his intellectual faculties have gone up in a puff of smoke, and he bases his opinions on his emotional tastes or distastes.

Agreed, ignoring him is probably best, though the use of ridicule is often times in order. Atlanticist and I do that often. :)