The reconciliation talks between the management at Audi Brussels and the unions have again ended without an agreement on a redundancy plan for workers, with unions announcing new mobilisations and protest action.
Six days after the two parties failed to agree on a redundancy plan – worker representatives rejected the company's sixth offer. This has resulted in Audi Brussels' supervisory board ending the information and consultation phase. This was confirmed to Belga News Agency by Peter D'hoore, the Audi spokesperson in Forest.
With the failed talks and the planned closure for 28 February, unions have called for "a final, non-negotiable and strongly conditioned offer", as well as a "mass mobilisation for Audi" on Monday 23 December at 09:00. This gathering will be followed by actions.
The joint union front – CNE, ACV Metea, BBTK and ABVV-Metaal – confirmed that the mediation had failed. "It was again impossible for us to negotiate in this way, under pressure and without being given time to think, calculate and consult." The unions added that excluding the long-term sick is an unacceptable discrimination.
Audi workers are seen in front of the Audi car plant in Forest, Brussels, on Wednesday 13 November 2024. Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
"Unfortunately, this consultation meeting ended without a joint solution," he said. "This means that our very fair offer, with which we will approach the workers early next year, remains unchanged." Thomas Bogus, CEO of Audi Brussels that he is "confident" employees will recognise the quality of this offer and accept it.
The offer would consist of an additional €5,000 gross per employee coupled with conditions such as the obligation to sign a protocol agreement ‘immediately’, and the exclusion of workers who had been off work long-term due to illness.
Besides the statutory severance pay, Audi will also offer the workers a company bonus, calculated based on employee's seniority.
In July, Audi Brussels announced plans to restructure its site in Forest which currently employs around 3,000 people. The German carmaker cited a slowdown in demand for the electric Q8 e-tron models produced in Brussels.
By September, the Volkswagen Group (which owns Audi) confirmed that it was not planning to produce any car models at its Forest site. Audi Brussels says it can find no other economically viable use for the plant. The factory is set to close in February 2025.
