A new kind of festival is being organized this Saturday, January 18 at La Souterraine (Creuse) by former workers of the GM&S automobile subcontracting factory to “remember the past and look toward the future.”
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Round tables, exhibitions, a concert as a highlight, and always a festive atmosphere: this is the menu offered at La Souterraine by the association of former workers at GM&S, the now famous automobile subcontracting company marked by a heavy wave of layoffs in 2017 and a resounding social struggle.
Alongside the employees who remained in the company, Philippe Labrousse, former GM&S, did not choose the date of the festival by chance, while the company's situation is still worrying: “The saws are currently being bought back, so we wanted to make this moment a moment of mobilization to defend the factory, to show that there are prospects.”
He's not entirely in the mood for celebration: “The atmosphere is festive, but also determined, political, with committed singers who are there for free, with round tables and discussions.
We must not give up, we must fight, and then we can make things happen.
Philippe Labrousse,former GM&S factory employee
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150 people gathered this Saturday, January 18 at the Loft.
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© France 3 Limousin
On the floor of the Loft, a former nightclub, the round tables focus on social themes: the representation of the industry in the media, the portrayal of social struggles, etc.
Among the participants, we meet authors, journalists and political figures such as trade unionist Philippe Poutou, former presidential candidate. For him, “we must learn lessons from what we have not been able to gain in the past, and build the future.”
These stories of resistance and struggles show that there is a continuation, and at some point, we would like to stop the spiral of defeats and reverse the course of things.
Philippe Poutou,former trade unionist and ex-candidate in the presidential elections
Former presidential candidate Philippe Poutou was a trade unionist at the Ford factory in Blanquefort.
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© France 3 Limousin
On the music side, in the evening, Didier Wampas and Gauvain Sers are on the bill at the Yves Furet space. The singer Creuseis is consistent with his lyrics: “I believe that it is important to maintain jobs in the Creuse, to preserve businesses. Behind the people who are put on the spot, there are families. It is poignant to see what happens once people are losing their jobs.”
Only admission to the concerts is chargeable, and the profits will be entirely donated to the support and defense association for ex-GM&S employees.
