"We're going to fight to the end. The Delhaize management must withdraw its plan"
The management of the Delhaize retail company announced that it would turn its 128 stores in Belgium into franchises, leading to a broadly supported strike movement.
Anik knows what she is fighting for. Today, Anik works in a Delhaize supermarket in Antwerp, but before that she worked in a Proxy Delhaize, a franchise store. And the working conditions are really not the same...
"Here I work 35 hours a week. At the Proxy, it was 38 hours. And my salary is higher now. When I started in the Delhaize here, I immediately received 50 euros more net per month. Overtime is paid better, and if we have to keep the store open longer, every extra minute is paid. And I'm not even mentioning the meal vouchers, the discounts, the company bike I can use to get to work... At Proxy, we can't even dream of all that."
The multinational Ahold Delhaize made 2.5 billion Euro profit in 2022. The year before, shareholders received 1.86 billion Euro. But it still doesn't seem to be enough for them.
The workers of Delhaize have the full support and solidarity of the PTB-PVDA. The PTB-PVDA was also present at the action organised by Delhaize workers in front of the head office of Delhaize
There’s a lot of fighting back against the dismantlement of social structures wanted by the management. "I've worked for Delhaize my whole life," says Diane at the action in front of the Delhaize head office in Zellik. "And so has my daughter. It is for her future that I am here. Management wants to sell us out for one purpose only: to save on wages. But we already don't earn much. My daughter started with 13.44 euro per hour. In franchised stores, it is much less. And there, we work 1h30 more per week for nothing. Plus Sunday work without compensation... Where is this going?"
Sofie Merckx, leader of the PTB-PVDA group in the Chamber: "Delhaize wants to save 1 billion on workers... by promising 1 billion more to its shareholders BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and co. This is the real reason for their plan. The government does not object. They issue grand declarations about how hard the work is, but when it comes to taking action, as here at Delhaize, we don't see it. I am asking the government to stop the dismantlement at Delhaize and side with the workers instead of with the shareholders."
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