All 22 Delhaize supermarkets in Brussels remain closed

All 22 Delhaize supermarkets in Brussels remain closed
Credit: Belga

At supermarket chain Delhaize, 72 of its 128 shops are open to customers on Thursday, while 56 remain closed. There are no actions in the depots, confirmed the Delhaize spokesperson, Roel Dekelver.

All of the shops in Flanders are open on Thursday, while seven in Wallonia are closed, and all 22 in Brussels have closed their doors again. According to Deklever, "logistics are functioning normally, it’s been quiet for a few days now."

The reason behind the prolonged closing of some Delhaize shops is the announcement Delhaize made in March about its intention to franchise its 128 own shops, placing them under independent management. Unions have continuously voiced their concerns that this decision will lead to lower wages and working conditions, as well as some job losses.

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Delhaize staff and management have met three times to try and reach a consensus, but given the management's failure to discuss the move, the two parties failed to do so all three times. Cédric Claeys of ACV Food and Services stated that management maintains its position, "they do not want to hear at all what the workers have to say to them."

After the third, and last, meeting on Tuesday, Delhaize asked the Federal Government to provide a mediator to assist in communications between the parties – while maintaining its intention of franchising.

On Wednesday it was reported that Delhaize management had sent an internal letter to its employees. The letter included, among other things, a statement that each shop already has at least one potential buyer, leading to the idea that the supermarket chain intends to push on with franchising its shops.


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