Potential Audi Brussels investor has no viable plan, unions say, workers walk out

During the special works council, Audi Brussels's management gave more details about potential investors. Candidate buyers had until Monday to submit a dossier. ‘The management wrote to 26 candidates,’ says Ronny Liedts of Christian union ACV-metea. ‘There was one written expression of interest, which the management itself does not consider sufficient.’

Unions react with disappointment

So one potential investor has emerged, but the unions too have little faith in its plans. ‘It’s a Belgian investor and they would like to keep 1,500 employees (i.e. half of the current workforce) on board. A new restructuring operation would be required during the next eight years for which Audi would have to bear the costs. It is a bizarre story.’

The socialist trade union too responded with disappointment. ‘Our needs are not being met and we will not put up with this. We are talking about the future of 3,000 employees,’ says Olivier Van Camp of socialist union ABVV-BBTK. ‘This is bad news,’ says Liedts of ACV-metea. ‘This looks like the end of the story.’

The management is giving the potential investor five days to provide more clarity about its the plan. Who that potential investor is the board would not say.

Social plan proposals ‘inadequate’

At the same time, the management also put a first proposal for a social plan to the unions. ‘We are still in the first phase of the process introduced by the Renault Law.  It seems the management want to conclude that later this month, on 15 or 29 October,’ the ACV trade unionist believes. Mr Liedts rejected the basic proposal for severance pay tabled by the management saying it was ‘not fair’.

The workforce also feels the proposal is ‘grossly inadequate’ and spontaneously walked out.