In favour of Linguistic Pluralism. CTFC; CFE-CGC. CTG and UNSA Press Release
The Multilingualism estates-general, held on 26 September 2008, in Sorbonne: Reality in Disguise!
The corporate regretted the absence of the Minister of Labour during the Multilingualism estates-general. The language problem concerns discrimination, work, education, security and employment. The corporate did, in any case, take heed of Joyandet, the Secretary of the Francophonic state, who wishes to guarantee employment in the French language in France’s companies.
“Develop new technologies and methods for translating, offer the employees the possibility to learn new languages in a work enviroment – these are all springboards that can boost our competitiveness. As far as I’m concerned, these external multilingual strategies are not incompatible with internal ones in order to guarantee communication in the national language to all employees, even in the heart of the work place…”
In any case, the day’s festive attitude and the enchanting and angelic statements on Multilingualism hide the reality: there are languages and cultures that are being removed in favour of one language. It’s becoming all the more frequent for French to be replaced by English with the effect that our languages will only be used in a private sphere.
Without any actual public debate to talk about the economic, cultural and social issues, our elites are instead dedicating their time to our linguistic orientation. They ask that every citizen learn at least 2 other languages aside from their own and are delusional in thinking that it is a financial solution for linguistic conversation.
The corporate supports the same line of thought as the European Social and Economic Committee delegate, An Le Nouail-Marlière: the language issue in the work place is also a matter of social dialogue. Should language become a legal concern for residence permits? Does it make any sense to force people to learn the national language of the country, and impose English on the French, Spanish, Polish and Hungarian employees as well?
Jean Loup Cuisiniez, Francophone head at the CFTC 01/10/2008