Around a thousand employees from Audi Brussels gathered outside the Forest National concert hall on Friday morning amid heightened tension. The palpable air of electricity was fuelled by uncertainty hanging over the factory’s future following July’s restructuring announcement.
Shortly before 10:00 a few firecrackers went off. Increased security measures, including barricades and searches, have been put in place, causing indignation amongst employees. Subcontractors, barred from entering the hall, expressed their frustration. Journalists were also denied access to the hall.
Kader, a subcontractor with Audi for six years, lamented the lack of communication since the restructuring announcement in July. “We feel sidelined,” he complained. One of his colleagues, bitter about the security measures, sarcastically remarked “We’re not employees, we’re terrorists.”
Trade unions are uncertain about what announcements will be made during the general assembly. “The topic of restarting production next week may be discussed,” said Ronny Liedts of the CSC. But he questioned the need to hire Forest National as a venue if no major announcement is on the agenda. Given the company is presently in phase 1 of the Renault Act, no redundancy announcements should be made.
A meeting between trade union representatives and the Brussels Minister of Employment, Bernard Clerfayt, is scheduled on the sidelines of the general assembly.
