Posted on Dec 29, 2022
At a French factory, the newest employees come from Ukraine
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https://www.npr.org/2022/12/29/ [login to see] /france-ukraine-kharkiv-migrants-employment
In a factory on the edge of the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, French isn't the only language being spoken these days. Over the whir of sewing machines, the sounds of Russian and Ukrainian can be heard as well.
The factory has been turning out leather handbags for French luxury brands since the 1970s. Maroquinerie Thomas' CEO Thierry Thomas says he's hired about 25 Ukrainians this year.
"I hired the first five and then more started coming," he says. "Cousins, sisters-in-law. They work hard, they adapt fast. At first I put them all together. That way if one understood, he could teach the others."
Thomas says it's not charity. He can't find enough French workers.
He offers the Ukrainians long-term contracts without having to go through a trial period, "so they can open bank accounts and rent apartments," he says.
How does he communicate with them?
In a factory on the edge of the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, French isn't the only language being spoken these days. Over the whir of sewing machines, the sounds of Russian and Ukrainian can be heard as well.
The factory has been turning out leather handbags for French luxury brands since the 1970s. Maroquinerie Thomas' CEO Thierry Thomas says he's hired about 25 Ukrainians this year.
"I hired the first five and then more started coming," he says. "Cousins, sisters-in-law. They work hard, they adapt fast. At first I put them all together. That way if one understood, he could teach the others."
Thomas says it's not charity. He can't find enough French workers.
He offers the Ukrainians long-term contracts without having to go through a trial period, "so they can open bank accounts and rent apartments," he says.
How does he communicate with them?
At a French factory, the newest employees come from Ukraine
Posted from npr.org
France
Russian
Ukraine
French
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The Ukrainians take French lessons every week at the factory. Thirty-nine-year-old Andriy Pryputniev, a former coal miner, follows along closely. His family got out of Kharkiv in March, and he followed them to France in September.
"My children study in a French school," he says. "My son plays football and another son plays guitar and music in the school."
This year wasn't the first time Pryputniev has had to flee to a new place. In 2014, he arrived in Kharkiv from his home in Luhansk, after fighting there between Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.
He had always thought he would spend the rest of his days in Luhansk. "I thought I'd collect my pension there," he says.
Nowadays, "Sometimes when I drive the car back home after work, I think in my head, 'Where am I?'" he says with a laugh. "I'm in France? Seriously?"
Pryputniev takes his French lessons seriously. With two destroyed houses behind him, he says he's not going back to Ukraine."
..."The Ukrainians take French lessons every week at the factory. Thirty-nine-year-old Andriy Pryputniev, a former coal miner, follows along closely. His family got out of Kharkiv in March, and he followed them to France in September.
"My children study in a French school," he says. "My son plays football and another son plays guitar and music in the school."
This year wasn't the first time Pryputniev has had to flee to a new place. In 2014, he arrived in Kharkiv from his home in Luhansk, after fighting there between Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.
He had always thought he would spend the rest of his days in Luhansk. "I thought I'd collect my pension there," he says.
Nowadays, "Sometimes when I drive the car back home after work, I think in my head, 'Where am I?'" he says with a laugh. "I'm in France? Seriously?"
Pryputniev takes his French lessons seriously. With two destroyed houses behind him, he says he's not going back to Ukraine."
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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