The Carrefour supermarket chain wants its 81 integrated stores to open on Sunday mornings.
Negotiations are underway between management and staff, according to trade unions, confirming a report in the Gazet van Antwerpen.
However, workers’ representatives would prefer to reach a sector-wide agreement.
"Today, supermarkets are engaged in fierce competition. We want a sectoral framework with fair rules for everyone," emphasises Lindsey Verhaeghe, secretary of the socialist trade union BBTK, the Flemish branch of SETCa.
"This is the position of the joint trade union front, now that Carrefour and Okay want to open their doors on Sundays," emphasises Wouter Parmentier, also a member of the BBTK. "Instead of a race to the bottom, we want to create fair rules in the hope of improving working conditions for staff in the independent retail sector," he adds.
The unions are willing to discuss Sunday working, flexible working and student jobs, provided that these are accompanied by fair rules for all players in the retail sector, they say. There are currently various joint committees within the sector, with varying wages and working conditions.
The unions are therefore turning to the Comeos trade federation, but note that there is little interest in negotiating harmonisation. "Probably because the members have different points of view,’ says Wouter Parmentier. "Delhaize and Colruyt are diametrically opposed," he explains.
"Management has many demands, such as Sunday work without extra pay or shorter notice of working hours, but offers very little in return. A pay rise would only be possible for 700 employees out of a total of nearly 10,000," Parmentier says.
As long as management does not offer anything more, the unions will be reluctant to reach an agreement, he adds. A new consultation is scheduled for 23 June.
