The trade unions within Makro Cash & Carry Belgium have been informed by the management of its intention to request a judicial reorganization procedure by transfer of companies under judicial authority (PRJ) with the company court of Antwerp. According to the Flemish Christian union ACV Puls, the staff is resigned and remains at work for the time being.
The 17 stores of the brand, owned for decades by the German group Metro AG, were sold last June to the holding company Bronze Properties. “And a few months later, we learn that it is now the justice that is at work“, sighs Johan Van Loon, of the Flemish Christian union, considering that the workers are “abandoned” and tossed from right to left.
Unions will now organize information sessions in the eleven Metro stores and the six Makro, the workers asking themselves “a lot of questions”. Staff are currently at their posts but spontaneous actions cannot be ruled out. On the ACV side, however, no action is foreseen. “Against whom? Everything is now in the hands of the court,” resigns Johan Van Loon.
It is now up to the company court to decide on the request for judicial reorganization by transfer of companies under judicial authority. The union official thinks it can go quickly. “Management already told us several months ago that of buyers were interested in parts of the company. The potential buyers have already had time to do their homework”, underlines Johan Van Loon. For the latter, the advantage of such a procedure, which has not yet been applied to a file of this magnitude, lies in particular in the importance given to the issue of employment “A lower offer which guarantees more jobs can be taken into account by the judge”. Unions will also have the right to speak out and request access to file and they do not intend to deprive themselves of it.
Makro Cash & Carry Belgium operates since 1970 and has 17 stores and approximately 2,000 employees. There are six Makro stores in Belgium, including two in Wallonia (Lodelinsart and Alleur). The Metro brand has 11 stores in Belgium, including one in Brussels and two in Wallonia (Namur and Liège).
The 17 stores of the brand, owned for decades by the German group Metro AG, were sold last June to the holding company Bronze Properties. “And a few months later, we learn that it is now justice that is at work,” sighs Johan Van Loon, of the Flemish Christian union, considering that the workers are “abandoned” and tossed from right to left. The unions will now organize information sessions in the eleven Metro stores and the six Makro, with workers asking “a lot of questions”. Staff are currently at their posts but spontaneous actions cannot be ruled out. On the ACV side, however, no action is foreseen. “Against whom? Everything is now in the hands of the court,” resigns Johan Van Loon. It is now up to the company court to decide on the request for judicial reorganization by transfer of companies under judicial authority. The union official thinks it can go quickly. “Management already told us several months ago that buyers were interested in parts of the company. Potential buyers have already had time to do their homework”, underlines Johan Van Loon. For the latter, the advantage of such a procedure, which has not yet been applied to a case of this magnitude, lies in particular in the importance given to the question of employment. “A lower offer that guarantees more jobs can be taken into account by the judge”. The trade unions will also have the right to express themselves and to request access to the file and they do not intend to deprive themselves of this. Makro Cash & Carry Belgium has been operating since 1970 and has 17 stores and approximately 2,000 employees. There are six Makro stores in Belgium, including two in Wallonia (Lodelinsart and Alleur). The Metro brand has 11 stores in Belgium, including one in Brussels and two in Wallonia (Namur and Liège).
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