2023-12-30 13:55:33
The service voucher sector, which employs 150,000 housekeepers in Belgium, is in turmoil. Two of the three employer federations (Federgon and the Flemish association of ALEs, not the Walloon Federation of Integration Enterprises) have just unilaterally denounced the collective labor agreements relating to the end-of-year bonus and the supplement paid in the event of economic unemployment (5 additional euros from January 1).
“We repeat the cry of alarm that we launched in Septemberexplains Ann Catellain, director of Federgon. We must think together regarding a sustainable future model for businesses, because today a large part of them are working at a loss.”
This announcement caused a surge on the union bench. For the common front, the argument of the financial health of the sector is fallacious. “These are clearly maneuvers by these commercial companies, subsidized by public money, which want more dividends for their shareholders. They are trying to put pressure on politics, in particular on the governments of Wallonia and Brussels which have taken measures to regulate the sector”denounces Sébastien Dupanloup, FGTB federal secretary.
Declaration of war
Worker representatives suspect the employers’ federations of wanting to call into question the end-of-year bonus paid to workers (often female workers). “Not at all, nWe have no intention of touching this bonus. It was paid in 2023, and it will continue to be paid in the coming years. For unemployment supplements, it must be discussed. But above all, we want to reactivate social dialogue, which is very difficult in this sector”reframes Ann Catellain.
“When we want to discuss, we do not put a knife to the throat of our interlocutor. This is a serious precedent, a declaration of war. Our reaction will be equal to this aggression from Federgon”warns Sébastien Dupanloup.
A dialogue of the deaf, which heralds a hot start to the year in the service voucher sector.
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