Shoppers in Belgium can hardly have missed the disruptions at Delhaize – one of the country's biggest supermarkets that triggered staff outcry when it announced six weeks ago that it will franchise the remaining 128 stores it still operates directly.
Branded an "attack on staff", unions launched nationwide (and very public) strikes that hit tens of the chain's outlets – notably during the normally lucrative Easter period. What might have surprised management – and onlookers – was the determination of protesting staff, who organised rotas to man picket lines and developed strong structures of support to help those foregoing pay to make their point.
Tensions between both sides simmered as physical force was used in an attempt to break the deadlock. But the situation has yet to be resolved, with staff insisting that their measures be heard whilst management refusing to back down from their plans to implement the franchise. Something will have to give at some point but how long either side can hold out is unclear, with all parties reluctant to show any sign of weakness.
Negotiations did finally recommence today in what many have seen as a last-ditch effort to end the conflict. Trade unions made a show of force yesterday in anticipation of Tuesday's meeting: a 2,500-strong crowd marched in central Brussels with plenty of placards but a distinct lack of olive branches.
The staff framing is that this is a sign of things to come for the retail sector as a whole: if Delhaize falls who's to say it won't be another chain shortly after that bows to the temptation of "social dumping" – replacing an established workforce with cheap labour. Business managers often decry the high cost of employment in Belgium and it might be that other outlets are watching eagerly to see how things unfold at the supermarket.
Are you waiting for Delhaize to reopen? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. Brussels to renovate iconic Blue Tower on Avenue Louise
The iconic but monofunctional Blue Tower on Brussels Avenue Louise will soon be renovated to become a multipurpose complex open to the neighbourhood with a 360° panoramic rooftop, State Secretary for Urban Planning Pascal Smet has announced. Read more.
2. Delhaize: Moment of truth after 42-day face-off
The first reconciliation meeting between the trade unions and Delhaize management started at the FPS Employment on Tuesday morning, with unions hoping to reset social dialogue after 42 days of unions and management locking horns. Read more.
3. Belgium-Iran treaty: Official transfer request for detained aid worker Vandecasteele
Belgium has officially submitted a transfer request to the Republic of Iran for Olivier Vandecasteele, the former aid worker who has been imprisoned in Iran since early 2022, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib said on Tuesday. Read more.
4. Russian embassy in Brussels has most ‘spy antennas’ in Europe
Nowhere else in Europe does Russia have as much satellite communication equipment, used for relaying sensitive information back to Russia, as on the buildings of its embassy in Belgium. This is the conclusion of Espiomats, a survey carried out by De Tijd and its European partners. Read more.
5. Three LGBTQ bars robbed on Sunday, police launch investigation
Three LGBTQ bars were ransacked and robbed on Sunday in the Belgian capital. An investigation is ongoing but no link has yet been found between the incidents, police said. Read more.
6. Four-day working week? Belgians still prefer five days, study suggests
Extremely few full-time employees in Belgium currently work four days per week despite being legally entitled to do so, a recent study has found. Read more.
7. Best in Town: Top terraces for a drink in Brussels
Finally, it seems better weather is on the cards for Belgium. Fortunately, Brussels has a wealth of glorious terraces to enjoy the sun, and while some of the more obvious ones are often overpriced or tourist traps, others worth visiting are sometimes hidden quite well. Read more.
