Chat – but only in Swedish!
You may chat during breaks at this Swedish company – but only in Swedish.
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When Keolis takes over the bus traffic in Jönköping, foreign employees may no longer speak their native language during breaks. Photo: Patrik Hansson.
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When the company Keolis takes over bus traffic in Jönköping there will be some changes in the rules. Such as: the employees may speak to each other during their breaks, but only in Swedish.
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"Speaking Swedish only during breaks is a rule we have to create harmony and solidarity,” says Helena Reinhagen of Keolis Nordic.
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Diskrimineringsombudsmannen (the Equality Ombudsman) is critical to this particular rule, but the local union chairman thinks it’s just fine. “If two people from a foreign country speak loudly to each other in their language they show no respect.
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Keolis has its headquarter in France, a country known to be concerned about preserving its own national identity.
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They are louder than the rest of us, that’s just a fact,” says Thor Tärnbring from the Kommunals trade union. In fact, the bus drivers (all of whom get to keep their jobs when Keolis takes over) must sign a contract promising not to speak anything but Swedish!
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“That’s a rule we have to create harmony and solidarity,” says Helena Reinhagen, communication officer at Keolis. The rule is in effect during lunch and other shorter breaks.
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Secretary of press at Equality Ombudsman, Eva Rosengren is critical however:
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“During breaks when one is supposed to relax, you can’t very well forbid people to speak their native language,” she says. But Tärnbring doesn’t agree at all: “We have such a small canteen,” he says. “And we want a society where we can all be Swedes, old Swedes and new Swedes in one family.”
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For more info on the company, see Busslink. Keolis is not - no surprise there! - a Swedish owned company, its headquarter is in France but the company works in public transportation all over Europe and in the U.S.. Keolis Nordic
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