Around 100 workers have been protesting since dawn outside the Audi Brussels site in Forest, lighting tires on fire and letting off firecrackers, expressing their anger about recent management decisions regarding the future of the plant.
Workers who arrived for their 06:00 shift this morning found themselves locked out of the premises, as unions called a court bailiff to the scene to note that the plant was closed.
Felice Di Franco, a factory worker and MWB activist, said that the company lockdown wasn't announced until Sunday evening at 20:30.
"We're expected to be available 24/7, and the right to disconnect no longer exists," he said, adding that Audi employees are also no longer getting paid.
Like others fearful for their future, Felice demands concrete information. "People know nothing. We ask for data but are denied," he said.
The bailiff left to "draw up his report" at around 07:30, noted CNE delegate Ludovic Pineur, who added that there was no response from management.
Ronny Liedts of ACV Metea said that Audi Brussels management had instigated a "lock-out", ignoring dialogue. "Management is looking for a conflict," he said.
Workers are gathered outside of the Audi Brussels plant, in Vorst-Forest, Brussels, Monday 09 September 2024. Credit: Belga / Jonas Roosens
It was reported on Friday that Audi Brussels workers seized keys to completed and unfinished vehicles, indicating that no vehicles would leave the factory until they received clarification about the future of the company. Over the weekend, the company threatened to file a lawsuit if the keys are not returned.
A protest began on Sunday evening after management said the factory would remain closed until workers agreed to resume "normal" production and dispatch the vehicles to dealers.
The Forest production line has been stalled since July, when Audi Brussels announced plans to restructure its operations, citing a slowdown in demand for the electric Q8 e-tron models produced in Brussels, as well as "long-standing structural challenges" with the site.
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Earlier this week, it was announced that the Forest factory would not be allocated a new model by parent company Volkswagen, meaning that finding a buyer for the plant may be the only way to avoid closure and the loss of thousands of jobs.
More than 3,000 people currently work at the Brussels site. If no buyer is found and the plant closes, around 1,500 jobs could be lost as soon as October, with over 1,100 additional redundancies next year. The final layoffs could happen at the end of 2025.
While some operations were due to resume at the site last week, following weeks of collective leave and summer closure, staff have not yet returned to work.
Audi Brussels spokesperson Peter D'hoore reassured that management did not oppose reopening, but currently believe it to be unfeasible.
Management had insisted that unions hand over all car keys by noon on Monday, enabling delivery to the dealers and signalling a desire to resume normal operations. "We hope that common sense will prevail," D'hoore said on Monday morning.
However, by Monday afternoon this situation was still deadlocked and keys had not been handed over, with Ludovic Pineur of CNE Industry saying that unions had offered to meet with management "as soon as possible".
