The Flemish government will introduce practical tests to combat workplace discrimination across all sectors by the end of this year.
The socialist trade union ABVV welcomes the initiative but questions whether the tests will have real impact if funding for anti-discrimination measures is cut.
“Discrimination in the workplace is not an isolated issue but deeply ingrained,” said Miranda Ulens, general secretary of the Flemish ABVV. “It often happens below the surface, where it’s hard to detect but easy to feel. These tests will make it visible. Expanding them to all sectors is perfectly logical—there’s no reason some sectors should be monitored while others aren’t.”
However, the union expressed concern that without adequate resources to support actual change, the tests might simply measure discrimination without addressing it. “Making the problem visible is one thing, but without support to tackle it, these tests risk being ineffective,” Ulens added.
ABVV has called for the rollout of the tests at all levels of governance—Flemish, federal, and local. In cases where discrimination is confirmed, the union demands that employers immediately lose access to Flemish wage and social security subsidies.
Lastly, the union insists that data collected through the tests be shared directly with unions in sectoral consultation bodies. This would enable binding diversity plans to be formed and implemented to tackle systemic issues.
