The FN Herstal factory is back at work today (Wednesday), but there are still issues in the workshops. The trade unions involved have made their position clear. They are currently meeting to discuss the situation.
Resentment increased on October 14th, after workers’ unions raised their concerns that no progress had been made on the industrial strategy for the Herstal site, since the April 2015 strikes.
A general meeting was then called and staff voted for a 24-hour walk-out. With inadquate equipment in the workshop, staff are fearing for their future.
The trade unions consider that the workshops in the FN Herstal factory are suffering from substandard performance.
Alongside stopping work, the staff had decided to lend their support to those managing company policy and industrial practices outside of the company. They wished to take this stance whilst processes in the company were not being reviewed, with workshops inadequately equipped, until management processes were entirely overhauled.
Management and the unions were around the table on October 26th, aiming to achieve a meeting of minds, but it simply ended with a list of the failures on both sides.
The management then decided, on the following day, to enlist assistance from the courts, to gain entry to the site, using a court order forcing the trade unions to stop their action. The unions otherwise risked a fine of 5,000 euros for every day that they refused to comply with the order. Workers have been on strike since that time.
The Brussels Times
