A "serious" industrial dispute is about to erupt at French banking giant BNP Paribas Fortis and action is likely in the coming weeks, unions warned on Friday.
The industrial unrest follows the announcement of plans to outsource part of the bank's customer service activities. The unions had issued an ultimatum to the bank's management, giving it until Friday 14 February to reverse its decision.
At the end of January, BNP Paribas Fortis announced its intention to outsource part of the activities and staff of its Client Service Centre and to integrate them, from 2026, into a specific Belgian entity within the company Accenture. In total, more than 500 employees will be affected.
According to the bank, the consulting firm has in-house technology solutions that meet the challenges facing BNP Paribas Fortis, such as the increased complexity caused by additional regulations. As the ultimatum set by the unions failed to bring management to its senses, the unions are threatening further action.
"The indignation is very strong. Management doesn't seem to realise that we're on the brink of a serious industrial dispute," says Elke Maes of ACV Puls.
The joint trade union front has taken the initiative of initiating proceedings with the sector's conciliation board, which is a prerequisite for any strike action. Conciliation could begin as early as Tuesday.
In a joint press release, the unions also state that the management's outsourcing project is "all the more shocking in that it envisages as a partner a company that no longer shares the societal values claimed by BNP Paribas Fortis, particularly those relating to diversity and inclusion, as reported in the press in recent days."
