Protestors called for a reform of the Renault Law on collective redundancies at a demonstration of Audi Brussels' subcontractors on Monday.
Some 100 employees gathered on Place De L'Albertine in Brussels on Monday morning. They demanded a reform of the law to ensure that all workers could benefit from Audi's redundancy plan. Currently, the subcontractor workers are excluded from benefits.
By the end of February, production at Audi Brussels, which employs nearly 3,000 people, will permanently end.
In late January, following difficult negotiations, unions and Audi management finally reached a redundancy agreement for Audi Brussels employees. Employees will receive a bonus on top of the statutory severance pay, based on their years of service.
Employees from subcontractors such as Imperial Logistics and Rhenus Automotive, however, do not qualify for this severance pay or the agreed-upon bonus.
They see this as a fundamental injustice and are demanding an urgent reform of the Renault Law to protect themselves from imminent closures.
Jan Baetens, an ACV union representative, was present to support the workers. "These people receive virtually nothing while working alongside Audi employees on the same production line," he said.
Under current law, Audi, as the main supplier, is not required to concern itself with the subcontractor employees.
Baetens insists that the government must reform the Renault Law so that in the future, the main contractor is also responsible for the subcontractors. This is the only way to ensure equal treatment for all workers, Baetens concluded.
