On Thursday, Christian Social People’s Party president Luc Frieden made a controversial joke about the trade unions that the latter did not appreciate.
PM Frieden’s joke was as follows: “I tried to keep them in the room as long as possible so that they would agree to everything. I didn’t achieve that, yet at least they stayed there. And that, I believe, is already a big success. However, they looked really unwell, which means they probably aren’t used to working overtime.”
PM Luc Frieden told the above-quoted anecdote at his party’s summer event on Thursday 10 July in Hesperange. Although some people at the party took it light-heartedly, a couple of opposition politicians frowned at the joke when they heard it through the radio broadcaster 100.7. The Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party politician Sascha Pulli, the Green Party deputy Djuna Bernard, and Marc Baum from the Left Party shared his joke to criticise it. Djuna Bernard claimed Luc Frieden was only throwing sand into the already deep wound. According to Sascha Pulli, it was an attempt to render his negotiation partners inferior to him. Finally, Marc Baum added that the Prime Minister proved his lack of respect for the trade unions and all people attending the protest on 28 June.
Upon RTL.lu’s request, the OGBL and LCGB presidents Nora Back and Patrick Dury confirmed that the PM called them into his office on his own terms on Friday morning. Patrick Dury said he had taken care of it, whereas Nora Back mentioned an apology. On Friday morning, the PM still had not said anything to the civil servants’ trade union CGFP. CGFP president Romain Wolff could not find humour in Frieden’s statement: “He will not win the price for joke of the day.” Even if the PM does not end up calling him, it will have no consequences as the CGFP is determined to participate in the next social roundtable on Monday. Whether an apology would be voiced or a few more jokes made is still unclear.
