Pirate's Cove

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about this

High Decibel Social Distancing ‘Dog Collars’ for Factory Workers Deployed

A Swedish manufacturer in France has been accused of treating their employees like dogs after the company asked its workers to wear a social distancing device that emits a high decibel sound if employees are too close to each other.

The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), the largest union representing workers at Essity, a Swedish global hygiene and health company, compared the device to a dog collar, saying it is “a system comparable to that which deters dogs from barking”.

The CFDT said according to the French newspaper Le Monde, that the necklaces emit a sound of 85 decibels as soon as “social distancing is no longer respected”.

CFDT union representative Christine Duguet said that “the idea is to discipline employees and call them to order,” going on to say that the implementation of the system represents “an attack on individual freedoms”.

“Since the start of the pandemic, we have scrupulously respected distancing and wearing masks. We wear them all day, we are responsible people!” she protested.

You can see a video, in French, here or at the above link. Now, on one hand, they really look more like uncomfortable necklaces for fall prone seniors, and, let’s face it, people are social distancing less and less, because they feel that the mask is enough, plus, COVID fatigue. So, yes, we need to social distance. I’ve had more people lately wanting to shake hands or bump elbows or bump fists. No. One customer, not mine, left when the rep refused to shake hands. Bye! On the other hand, perhaps it would be better if supervisors wandered around.

According to Le Parisien, the company has already deployed the system in the United Kingdom and has been testing it in the Netherlands.

A company spokesman told the AFP that it is just being “tested” in France.

Coming to the rest of the 1st World, including America?

Responding to the story, the president of the Popular Republican Union party in France, François Asselineau, said: “The next stage will be an electric shock of 380 volts between the 2 offenders.”

I’m sure he was joking, but, I wouldn’t mind if people who get too close to me get a mild shock.