Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Today I found out some very interesting, in-depth and somewhat shocking news in regards the Freewinds.

In early 2008, a contract was made between Scientology and a company out of Miami called Nordica Engineering. This contract was for approximately $18 million and was for the work of completely stripping the Freewinds, and then re-fitting with new furniture, carpets, wiring, etc.

Nordica Engineering brought in approximately 240 workers from Poland who slepts on board the Freewinds in cabins until they were moved to a camp after 1 1/2 months.

Nordica Engineering was given no warning or information in regards blue asbestos or other asbestos panelling on the Freewinds. Apparently, in addition to the blue asbestos which is sparyed on all over the Freewinds, a lot of the panelling on the Freewinds was made with asbestos. A giant container at the dock in Curacao was filled with approximately 70 tons of asbestos, whereabouts now unknown.

The work proceeded until April 2008 when the Freewinds was sealed due to asbestos contamination at the drydock in Curacao.

Nordica Engineering has apparently not been fully paid and is owed upwards of approximately $3.5 million.

A separate company was brought out from Florida to clean up the asbestos at a cost of approximately $2 million. Some of the asbesots was removed, some encapsulated, but apparently there is still loose asbestos on-board.

The ship is now in Aruba (due to Curucao drydock being booked) but will be brough back to drydock in Curacao in November to finish up work and get its DNV certification.

Nordica Engineering appears to have been misled or outright lied to in regards the asbestos situation. There are 240 workers from Poland who have apparently been following the story about the Freewinds online. They are in possession the the affidavit that my dad, Lawrence Wooodcraft wrote back in 2001 in regards the asbestos he saw on the Freewinds in 1987. They have been majorly exposed to this asbestos, sleeping on-board while the work was being done and now they are, from reports, very upset to say the least.

Nordica Engineering is apparently still negotiating with Scientology executives Sue Price and Bob Wright, hoping to receive payment but it seems unlikely.

Please re-post and distribute as appropriate.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Not a big surprise here. Astra, your father said there was no doubt about asbestos according to the blueprints. They had the words "asbestos" all over the blueprints. Nordica Engineering must have had blueprints. Now, either they are complete morons or, they were given a "new" set of blueprints. Since I am within an industry similar, I am going to assume they were not given the original blueprints. Having been close to someone who died of mesothelioma, I hope the "so-called" church fries for this........ I also feel bad for the beautiful ports of Aruba and Curacao. They should have never allowed this junker to dock there.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Is Tom going to sue Davie for having his birthday bash on freewinds? This shit sucks but somehow I have gone past the point of being surprised at what this cult is capable of. Thanks for the info though.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Terrible for the workers, I certainly hope they can take some action.

...the cult must go down with the ship.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

This is the first footbullet that isn't funny. I feel sorry for those workers, imagine working your ass of on that boat, not getting paid and dying from cancer later on due to this shit.

Fuck you Scientology, fuck you right up the ass!

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Duplicate post

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Where are the ambulance chaser lawyers when you need them? !

With the thousands that have been on this boat, there has to be several dozen that already have pulmonary cancer. Asbestos is particularly more risky for smokers, which is common among scientologists.

It's probable that most scientologists are afraid to sue the cult or still believe in the lies they've been fed.

This news item is worthy of nationwide coverage by the mainstream press or investigative TV journals like 60 minutes.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

This takes years (mesothelioma) to develop, but once it does, many die within a year, if not months. I cannot believe they actually believe that they're immune.....

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Done.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Not directly relevant, but here's a tiny bit about the refurb work, including a small graphical plan of the ship levels:

M/S FREEWINDS | Referenser | AB Tingstad Snickeri & Inredning

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

These workers need to sue Scientology into the ground for this.

Them, and a whole lot of others.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

/r/ tell the Polish Authorities? Or a Polish Workers' Union?

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

How does this news reconcile with this leak? http://forums.whyweprotest.net/123-leaks-legal/freewinds-experience-news-email-25797/

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

if you go to nordica click projects followed by majestic cruise lines it'll have a brief history of their work on the failwinds. somehow, i doubt i'll be surprised if this company is a WISE affiliate.

so can one of those poles hurry up and die of mesothelioma so we can hit the cult with criminally negligent homicide? again.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Where are these places relative to Trinadad and Tobago and Belieze? I have a friend who works for the government of T&T as a consulting attorney on oil and gas as well as environmental issues. Are these in the same geographic ball park as Curacao?

The problem, reality I've encountered when contacting friends and colleagues in multiple disciplines, some of them pretty high up in the world's power structures (at least their bureaucracies) is that American pols and 'crats don't think this shit is nearly important enough to get into a fight about religious freedom (political careers begin / end over such issues), and in other countries (particular less developed nations) they don't want to spend what little resources they have fighting a battle with $cilontologists over the UNHCHR Declaration of Religious Freedoms etc.

Fundamentally, the recurring problem I have experienced time on time is the framing of this discussion as a matter of freedom of religion rather than a matter of global public health like HIV/AIDS. Physical medicine is a priority battle... "The War on AIDS, Drugs, Terror" are up front and big time global priorities.. mental health.. not so much.

Dunno, am rambling a bit here... we need to reframe this as a PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE and the asbestos thing and NarCONon are the two places they're most vulnerable in this context as far as I've been able to tell. This isn't about and never has been about "religion" for $cientology isn't and never has been a religion and L. Ron Hubbard said so himself before changing his mind in an effort to get a tax break.

We need to figure this one out.. at least from where I sit the political will does not yet exist and it's largely resisted because of the religion context. We need to restate the context as what it is... mental illness for sale. A "religion" that sends people into such places / situations knowingly? I think not.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Nordica Engineering has worked on the Fleawinds several times before:
nordica

If Nordica Engineering would include the Polish workers as Plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Scilons, the European Union could seize all Scilon property when they win the suit.

(the worse alternative is that the Poles would have to sue Nordica, not the Scilons).

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Curacao is here. (google maps)

edit: that missing 3.5 million is probably what scientology deducted from payment for "lodging costs"

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

As far as I'm concerned, hiding the fact that tons and tons of blue asbestos were all over the place is akin to pointing a gun at someone's head, saying there is no bullet in it (and there is), then pulling the trigger.

At least 240 workers lives are now at risk. My God, what have these people done to the Co$ that was so bad that it was worth their LIVES?

This letter should go to the editor of the local paper where their company is based, to every single LA area paper... oh hell, to every city newspaper that has an Org invading their city all over the fooking world.

Wasn't there a press contact list somewhere here? I can't ever find anything here unless I'm subscribed to the thread.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

I'd 'sell' this particular story as being about justice. The CoS has, routinely and for a long period, witheld vital information from its own adherents and third-party workers about a real hazard to their health. But the wider context is that it's another piece of evidence pointing to an institutional culture of neglect, inhumanity and criminality, in the pursuit of $$$. As you say, religion doesn't come into it.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

No one dares sue Scientology, as they are famous for having ridiculous numbers of good lawyers

All of the above is total bullshit and you have made it up

This however is all true

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

A message of condolance has been sent to the company for their suffering at the hands of the scilons and the workers who may now be carrying deadly blue asbestos in their lungs. This is why we protest.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

No it's not bullshit. Smokers are much more affected by asbestos contamination than others.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Im curious to know if astra and co. have gotten clean bills of health after their time spent in the sea org?

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Asbestos Exposure: Questions and Answers - National Cancer Institute

But but but... smoking CURES cancer, right? That's what Ronnie said.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

I rest my case.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

What's the biggest news outlet in Poland?

No, scratch that: what are top 5 news outlets in Poland?

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

All-national daily newspapers
1. Fakt - 510,000 (tabloid) Nowo¶ci ze ¶wiata gwiazd, polityków, sportowców. Aleja gwiazd. » eFakt.pl
2. Gazeta Wyborcza - 417,000 Gazeta Wyborcza - internetowe wydanie - Wyborcza.pl
3. Super Express - 204,000 (tabloid) Super Express - prasa codzienna, gazeta, dziennik, pogoda - se.pl
4. Dziennik Polska-Europa-Świat - 154,000 (centrist to centre-right) Dziennik - Internetowy serwis informacyjny Dziennik.pl
5. Rzeczpospolita - 149,000 Rzeczpospolita (centrist to centre-right) Wiadomo?ci - Rzeczpospolita
6. Gazeta Prawna - 101,000 (centrist to centre-left) Gazeta Wyborcza - internetowe wydanie - Wyborcza.pl
7. Przegląd Sportowy - 59,000 Sport: Najnowsze wyniki, relacje sportowe, zdjêcia z boisk. Przegl±d Sportowy.Sports.pl
8. Trybuna - 20,000 (left-wing) Trybuna online
9. Nasz Dziennik - 20,000 Nasz Dziennik (catholic, right-wing) Nasz Dziennik
10. Puls Biznesu - 19,000 pb.pl - Strona Inwestorów
11. Parkiet - 11,000 PARKIET.COM

List of newspapers in Poland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of Polish language television channels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of Polish language radio stations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

This is the first time I have seen the layout for the Freewinds.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Scientology Cult Exposes Foreign Workers to Deadly Carcinogen : Indybay

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

e-mail sent to press person

Best Regards

Jens

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

harpoons send to
bonaire.web-log.nl (they've been covering most of the stuff about the freewinds)
laPrenza (newspaper)
Amigoe (newspaper)

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Some email addy's from Dutch politicians working in the European Union.

EU.txt

Freewinds is still on Dutch soil!

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

We need some Polish anons on this one. Especially to talk to the company and workers.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

It doesn't make much sense to write all of them.
There probably are a few usefull names in that list, however the most important one is missing : Edith Mastenbroek (she used to be spokesperson for XS4ALL

If anyone is interested in writing a letter to EU politicians, please PM me.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Get Boris Korczak!!!!

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

^this. Born in Poland in '39 (though that part is now Lithuania) Fluent in 11 languages.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

My 2 cents:

- I don't know how can anyone tell that Nordica is a WISE company. Interestingly, they say they fully cover their staff for insurances, "thus totally eliminating any potential liabilities from our customers". Perhaps this is why it was chosen (even if I guess this clause does not apply if the clients lied).

- It seems difficult to believe that the Nordica management never heard of asbestos on the Freewinds.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Maybe they get some hot peppers up theirs, so they become active?
Some of them are actually quite nice. :-]

I just want this failboat stripped down. Too shreds, I say!

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

The thing is they're stretched to the limit. They're too busy sorting through the garbage of anons in hopes of finding a name to whisper at them during a raid they don't have their legal department in order to fight off a well-aimed legal harpoon backed up by precedent.

Re: Freewinds Update... Big News and some very Angry Polish Workers

Nordica isn't the only company involved. "Tinstad Snickeri & Inredning" (Tinstad Carpenty & Furnishings) and any other company you can find that has had or may have had any involvement in the work on the ship should be contacted to inform them of the situation.

If anyone literate in Swedish wants to step up, you can find TSI's contact details at Kontakta oss | AB Tingstad Snickeri & Inredning (an email or letter and phone call would be good). If there are no volunteers I'll do it in English.