A meeting was held on Saturday between the unions and the management of the Ferrero factory in Arlon to try to reassure the workers.
We have known since Friday evening, the Ferrero Ardennes factory located in Arlon no longer has the authorization to produce. A decision by the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (Afsca) due to numerous cases of salmonellosis identified in Europe in recent weeks in Kinder chocolates. A case has been detected in Luxembourg. This Saturday, the unions were able to meet the personnel manager on the Ferrero site.
A meeting during which the workers’ representatives asked for answers to their many questions. Mainly concerning the future of the 800 seasonal workers whose contract has just ended, in this traditionally slack period of production. “They were supposed to sign a new contract following the Easter holidays. What will happen?” asks Sylviane Arnould, permanent CSC for the food sector.
As we know, the Arlon factory is closed next week for maintenance work announced for a long time. But then ? “The management has announced to us that it is extending this maintenance work coupled with cleaning work by one week. Additional staff will therefore be required. Ferrero’s management is awaiting instructions from Afsca. When these data are known, Ferrero will see more clearly and the work plan that we are asking for can be put in place”, continues Sylviane Arnould.
For those who will not find their way back to the factory, the question of salary arises and for the moment the terms are not known. The company says it is ready to collaborate with the Afsca and wishes to be able to resume production as soon as possible. Ferrero has also pledged to communicate more with its workers. On Friday followingnoon, when Afsca’s decision was announced, the production line ran until the 10 p.m. break.
“The workers have finished their day’s work and the night shift has come to clean up the production line. You don’t stop a production line that simply, you have to empty the line. The management was also waiting for details from the Afsca on the terms of this closure, ”explains the union representative who spent part of the night from Friday to Saturday on the site as close as possible to the disillusioned and worried workers.
