On Monday morning, the GCLTUB (General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (which represents workers through direct union organisation) led awareness-raising action in front of the headquarters of the bank BNP Paribas in Charerloi. Members were protesting against the strategic plan which will affect all of the bank's staff across the country.
After the focus on Brussels and Ghent last week, Charleroi was targeted on Monday as the company headquarters in the so-called “western” part of country. The GCLTUB wished to express its opposition to the various aspects of the scheduled strategic plan, which anticipates both role changes for 2,500 employees and 600 job losses, as well as new planned efficiencies, details of which should be available at the end of the year.
The GCLTUB is also demanding that the current planned 280 early retirements, permitted at 57, be revised upwards.
The action led on Monday involved a gathering of around twenty demonstrators in front of the bank's headquarters in Boulevard Tirou in the centre of Charleroi.
GCLTUB representatives offered both coffee and croissants whilst distributing leaflets, resuming the crux of their demands. There were no incidents.
(Source: Belga)
