Over 30 Aldi stores in Wallonia have been affected by unplanned strikes on Saturday as staff show their general discontent, a union source confirmed.
According to the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CNE), around 15 stores were closed in the Liège province and some 20 in the provinces of Hainaut and Namur, Belga News Agency reports.
The strikes follow yesterday's meeting of union representatives and the supermarket management. Union official Stanny Hermans explained that "The frustration of staff has been under-estimated and employees have chosen to strike spontaneously." Hermans continued to describe how Aldi employees are on their knees as stores are understaffed and overworked. Their difficulties were exacerbated by the exceptional circumstances faced by the commerce sector in 2020.
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A new meeting between management and the unions is scheduled for 8 November. "The management has heard us but next time we hope that they will heed us," Hermans said, hinting that there might be "further actions" between now and the scheduled meeting.
Aldi is not the first supermarket chain to be affected by staff strikes over unsustainable working conditions; Lidl also saw widespread staff action earlier this month.
