More than 100 stores in Lidl are closed due to severe weather strike

According to Con de Bonder of the Christian trade union ACV Puls, 75 stores have closed in Flanders. This relates to about 25 stores in the Goleggem region, the distribution center that supplies West and East Flanders, 20 around Sint-Niklaas, serving Antwerp, East Flanders and part of Brussels. In the area around the Genk distribution center, which supplies Kempen and Limburg, there are another 25 stores.

There are also promotions at the distribution centers in Genk and Gullegem. The goods are still coming in, but nothing is coming out. “This is a warning to management,” says de Bonder. “More than a third of the stores are closed and if management does not return to the table soon, we can continue to operate in the coming days.” Jan de Wij of the BBTK socialist union hopes that the administration will soon come up with new proposals.

Lidl’s management regrets the strike, because, according to it, there was a “constructive offer” on the table.

Wednesday’s actions come after a failed reconciliation meeting earlier this week. And unions say management has not wanted to accede to a number of employee demands. For example, unions required employee tasks to be measured over a long enough period, but management only wanted this measurement to be done for one week at a limited number of branches, says BBK. Management would like to cancel the boost that has been introduced at 42 hours per week per store starting in February of next year. According to the guild, strengthening the so-called “Flying Team” is not enough.