Walloon Employment Minister Pierre-Yves Jeholet has expressed surprise at an open letter from trade unions regarding the consequences of the decision by the Cora supermarket chain to close its stores, his office told Belga News Agency on Tuesday afternoon.
The CSC, CGSLB and FGTB trade union federations had deplored the lack of response from both the regional and federal Employment Ministers in a statement issued on Tuesday, one month after the closure announcement, and just days before the first negotiation session between unions and management, scheduled for Thursday,
The unions said they needed to “know the legal and regulatory frameworks they will have to work within” to start negotiations.
The Walloon Vice-President disputed these claims. His office noted that “in line with commitments made, Minister Jeholet convened and held a Crisis Cell meeting on 14 April, which included Employment Ministers and public employment and training services.”
A subsequent meeting of the Crisis Cell was arranged by letter on 28 April, and will take place on 12 May with social partners, including the trade unions, duly invited. The social emergency plan will be presented at that meeting.
The minister’s cabinet added that Jeholet had met with the Mitiska group representatives on 22 April. The previous month, Cora’s CEO announced the company’s intention to transfer its stores and adjacent shopping galleries to Mitiska.
“The regional legal and regulatory framework within which each party must operate is known and has never been questioned by the union organisations,” the minister’s office noted.
More than 1,700 jobs would be at risk in Brussels and Wallonia, should Cora close its doors.
