Workers at Ikea in Anderlecht organised a strike on Tuesday, joining similar actions in Hognoul (Liège) and Wilrijk (Antwerp).
Manuel Gonzalez from the Francophone Christian union CNE Commerce announced the action on Tuesday morning.
The strike did not involve the entire staff but reportedly included a significant portion.
Gonzalez stated that the action was motivated by two factors: support for the workers in Hognoul and complaints about the same issues locally, namely excessive workloads and staff shortages.
The union representative criticised the absence of a national-level management spokesperson. "This poses a significant problem. We are uncertain about who is making the decisions," Gonzalez explained.
The exact scale of the strike in Anderlecht remains unclear. "The store has not opened yet, but participation in the action seems substantial," said Gonzalez.
The unions described the strike as an “employee-led action” and suggested that the protests could potentially spread nationwide over time.
On Monday, the strikes involved 70 per cent of workers in Hognoul and 50 per cent in Wilrijk, according to the union.
However, local management disputed these figures, claiming only 15 per cent of the 157 active employees at the Hognoul site participated.
