Lidl supermarket staff will stop work on Friday. The Christian trade union CNE reported this on Thursday evening. The union criticizes the increasingly difficult working conditions and the generalization of precarious contracts within the chain. The action is organized by the Common Trade Union Front.
CNE could not say on Thursday evening whether the German group’s 311 supermarkets in Belgium will all remain closed all day. “Those responsible will certainly open stores, but with a limited number of employees and with limited schedules,” said Rep. Annie Izzo.
According to her, various elements are the basis of the strike: an increasing workload, too large a proportion of students, an increase in the number of sick people and failure to respect a collective labor agreement.
No purchasing power premium
“The management shows a total lack of respect towards the employees. “They refuse, among other things, to grant a purchasing power premium on the pretext that the company is not profitable,” the trade unionist added.
Lidl Belgium employs around 10,000 people in its supermarkets and five power stations, most of them with a “precarious contract”, Izzo complains. “One cannot reasonably live with that type of contract.” In addition, 6.9 percent of employees are students and according to CNE, the chain wants to increase that share to 12 percent.