Ralf Stegner is considered to be one of those politicians who formulate their views fairly bluntly – about the conditions in the factories of Clemens Tönnies. And the SPD parliamentary group leader in Schleswig-Holstein can continue to express himself freely: The Hamburg district court has rejected an application by Tönnies Holding to issue an injunction against Stegner, said court spokesman Kai Wantzen.
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Tönnies wanted the court to oblige Stegner to refrain from making critical statements about the conditions in the slaughterhouses. Amongst other things Stegner had in a talk show for the “Bild” newspaper said: “The laws are disregarded there. That’s no question.”
The court speaks of expression of opinion – and agrees with Stegner
In the judgment of the Hamburg Regional Court it is said, Tönnies Stegner’s statement does not violate his rights because it is an expression of opinion.
“The fact that occupational health and safety has undisputedly found violations of the then applicable Corona Protection Ordinance of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in May 2020,” said the judges’ justification.
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Stegner was relieved by the verdict – and criticized the conditions at the group again: “If Mr. Tönnies would take care of improving the working and living conditions of the workers in his slaughterhouses with the same zeal as he would have his critics prosecuted legally politics probably no longer proceed with legal regulations against exploitation, inhumane housing and other excesses of subcontracting, as the Federal Minister of Labor must do now. “
Germany’s largest slaughter company, Tönnies, had its headquarters in Rheda-Wiedenbrück after a high number of people infected with corona have to stop among employees for around four weeks. In the meantime, slaughtering takes place in two shifts again.
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