A spontaneous strike broke out on Tuesday morning among the staff of Vaillant Group in Drogenbos, according to the liberal union CGSLB/ACLVB.
The German Vaillant Group specialises in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technology – in particular the production and installation of central heating units. The group has been operating in Belgium since 1948, and according to CGSLB/ACLVB employs between 200 and 300 people here.
A strike action began at the Vaillant site in Drogenbos at 06:00 on Tuesday morning, involving primarily the technical staff, but other employees joined in solidarity. "Those with appointments today will likely not see an installer," the union noted.
The strike is mainly to protest the uncertainty surrounding Vaillant Group's future. It comes just a month after thousands took to the streets in Brussels to protest Europe's struggling industrial sector.
Technical staff at Vaillant are also challenging the increasing pressure they face, partly due to poor customer planning. The union says employees are being pressured into signing less favourable contracts under the threat of dismissal.
According to the union, the strike is expected to last all day. No discussions with management are currently planned, but the union said they are "seeking a constructive solution quickly."
