ACV goes to court against Delhaize ‘harassment’, unions promise ‘hostility’ at shareholder meeting

ACV goes to court to oppose Delhaize’s attempts to reopen its stores and return to normal operations after all the social upheaval. They protested the order issued by the Dutch-speaking Court of First Instance in Brussels at the end of last month. This order stated that no pickets, stores and warehouses were allowed in Delhaize between 1 April and 28 April. Otherwise, penalties threaten.

“Delhaize received this with a ‘unilateral request’ measure,” says Cédric Claeys of ACV Food and Services. Already in 2011 Europe found this measure contrary to the European Social Charter, because it completely excludes trade unions, and because it forbids us From defending the interests of employees. We also consider this injunction to be disproportionate, both in terms of duration and geographical scope.”

The ruling gave Delhi the opportunity to communicate with the police in places where shops or warehouses were closed. Successfully, because on Tuesday morning only 35 of the 128 branches under its own management were closed, in Flanders all Delhaize supermarkets were open again. “Delhaize is playing harder and harder, these are pure scare techniques,” says Claeys. People are being pressured by the police riot. This is completely out of proportion.”

Easter holiday

The timing of the reopening of shops was important, as the Easter weekend is one of the busiest weekends for supermarkets. “In the past week, the administration has sent massive numbers of bailiffs to break sit-downs and try to open shops,” said Myriam Djegham, national secretary of the French-speaking religious center CNE.

According to Claes, Delhaize took it one step further last week. “On the night of Wednesday 4 to Thursday 5 April, they sent four police vans to the storage facility in Zellick. About thirty helmeted police officers, with shields and clubs in their hands, got out of them and without warning created a lane through which the trucks could leave.”

Read also. Delhaize conflict escalates, but these strikers think nothing of quitting: ‘Marry the Right Price’

According to the union, Delhaize also affects the rights of striking workers in other ways: Certain strike periods may not be considered work. “Although it is stipulated in the legal and contractual standards,” Claise says. “This has an impact on, among other things, the annual leave, pension and year-end bonus of the employees involved.”

Animo at the shareholder meeting

The unions will also protest before the Brussels court on Wednesday. On that day, the shareholder meeting of Ahold Delhaize, the group above Delhaize, will take place in Zaandam in the Netherlands. The Belgian trade unions also want to cause “hostility” there.

“We’d love to join, but it’s probably a vain hope,” says Catherine Degrez of the BBTK Socialist Union.

Unions had been resisting Delhaize’s plan for weeks to leave 128 stores to independent operators. A mediator has been appointed, but he has not yet restored peace.