More than 18,000 trade unionists from the Christian, liberal and socialist trades unions took the streets of Brussels on Monday to protest against social dumping and the erosion of the right to strike. The Brussels-Capital-Elsene Local Police Service says that 18,000 demonstrators took part while the socialist trade union ABVV’s Thierry Bodson estimates that around 25,000 people are at the march.
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More than 18,000 demonstrators protest against social dumping
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The demonstration against that was orginised by the liberal, Christian and socialist trade unions came about as a result of the planned restructuring at the supermarket chain Delhaize.
The demonstration started with speeches by union leaders near to Brussels North Railway Station. The march got underway at around 11:15. The march passed by the headquarters of the employers’ federation VBO and the Brussels Courthouse building. The march ended at Brussels South Railway Station. The unions say they want to prevent social dumping from spreading from retail to other sectors of the economy.
They say that attacks on the right to strike, such as the deployment of bailiffs and the police are unacceptable. In early March the supermarket chain Delhaize announced that it intends to franchise out all of the 128 stores currently run in-house.
Since then, there have been strikes at Delhaize stores and blockades of the chain’s distribution centres. The company has used baliffs to end strikes and police have been brought in to prevent blockades.
Balloons
As the marched passed the Brussels Courthouse building balloons were released. The unions say that decisions by the court have restricted the right to strike.
A large banner reading “'Profit everywhere, justice nowhere. Boycott Delhaize” was hung on the scaffolding that has surrounded the building for decades.