When you’re constantly in battle, sometimes you miss the moments when you achieve a strategic victory, especially if it seems small.
St. Louis Dump Veolia had the insight to know a victory when it saw it and to pause for a well-deserved celebration. In St. Louis, we looked up and Veolia creeping into our city with the help of the corporate-friendly mayor. The opposition to Veolia was immediate, strong and strategic—as it must be when communities are fighting corporate giants with deep pockets.
St. Louis Dump Veolia (DV) is the coalition that did the exhaustive research on the company and its devastating impact on communities around the globe. Dump Veolia helped to educate the local public, starting with the activist community. It also organized tactical actions to get media attention, to raise awareness and to build support. The coalition took the Veolia record to our Board of Aldermen and even made Veolia an issue during the 2013 mayoral election. At every turn when Veolia raised its ugly head, Dump Veolia was there.
Veolia may sound like margarine or maybe a veggie product line but it is the world’s largest water privatization corporation. Its head is in Paris, Frances but its tentacles extend all over the world. The company’s reputation is fraught with human, environment and financial abuses. The Dump Veolia website details a few examples.
Dump Veolia’s dogged approach recently led to what we think may be Veolia’s last attempt to have a relationship with St. Louis. When Mayor Francis G. Slay attempted to circumvent the budgetary process to sneak in a $250,000 contract to Veolia to do a water study, he was checkmated by the Board of Estimate & Apportionment and again by the Ways & Means Committee. Subsequently he withdrew his proposal.
We hope that Veolia believes doing business with St. Louis is unattractive and expensive. The coalition and its supporters need to be ever vigilant about Veolia the Chameleon. If it has the audacity to return, we will be waiting with a stronger united front and led by a bolder St. Louis Dump Veolia.
Recently we found out the powerful local blow to Veolia reverberated to Palestine. Veolia was forced to sell off its segregated bus lines following the intense worldwide pressure and strategic blows. The Palestinian people are grateful for the work down here that helped to weaken the chains of oppression by Israel and its allies. A giant made need to experience several hits to the body but eventually it’s going down.
I remember when Alderman Steve Conley called the Coalition Against Police Crimes & Repression (CAPCR) a “ragtag” group who could never bring local control to the city. Yet, thanks to the persistent efforts, here we are with local control after 150 years. While others were wishing, hoping and throwing stones from the sidelines, the tenacious group kept its eyes on the prize.
The war for local control is not over just like the war with Veolia is not over. Undeniable battles that have been won for The People have been recorded. Social justice groups have learned that we can’t allow our adversaries to dictate who we are, what we can do, when we win and who are leaders are. Those who dare to fight a righteous battle do so with the knowledge that they may not get the credit due to their efforts. Anytime you can advance or protect The People’s rights and privileges, the victories are fleeting but always sweet.
