The ongoing strike at AB InBev, which began last Thursday, has been extended to the Leuven and Hoegaarden sites as reported by union representatives ACV-CSC and ABVV-FGTB.
Bosteels Brewery in Buggenhout, Eastern Flanders, has also halted its operations. Meanwhile, production is resuming in Liège.
Three AB InBev production sites in Leuven, Hoegaarden, and Liège are on halt, confirmed by the Christian union earlier this Thursday. While the management confirmed strikes are happening, they failed to explicitly state their extent or effect.
The reason for the strike boils down to the breakdown of negotiations regarding working conditions and wages, the ACV reports. Sander Mouton from the Christian Union believes, "The rift between the management and the workers is just too deep."
He stated, "AB InBev may make millions of euros for the management and shareholders but they show no desire to share the profits with workers." Mouton emphasised that these are the people who operate the factories every day and deserve their share.
Fewer hands
The ACV specifically demands for the implementation of the purchasing power bonus enabled by the Federal Government. Mouton believes there is also room for some salary supplements.
The union furthermore judges the pressure on workers as too high. "For years, costs have been cut from the staff. People retire and are not replaced, leaving us to work more with fewer hands," he added.
The brewer’s management expressed their regret over the strike "Despite ongoing negotiations, a section of the brewery, distribution centre, and technical team staff decided to proceed with the strike," they commented. Adding, "A meeting is planned next week with the concerned employees. We hope to resolve this situation quickly through constructive dialogue."
On his part, Sander Mouton does not rule out the possibility of the strike continuing into Friday. "That will depend on the management’s response," he stated.
