Belgium: unprecedented negotiation failure in the metallurgy

The five claims of the MWB-Metal. The MWB-Metal, the metalworkers’ union in Wallonia-Brussels, came to the negotiating table with five claims: 1/ The application of the Interprofessional Agreement with the bonuses of €125 and €250 paid to all workers, regardless of their status. 2/ The possibility to negotiate at company level the modalities for granting these bonuses. 3/ Turning these net bonuses into gross amounts as of 2011. 4/ No new measures on social peace. 5/ Social guarantees on employment. “We didn’t feel that employers or the other unions, in a hurry to sign, were willing to negotiate” said Jean-Francois Tamellini, chef de cabinet at the FGTB Metal. He went on: “We hardly had a glimpse at an opening on buying power, which includes ecochecks, meal vouchers, hospital insurance and loan back pension. In the end, everyone backed out.” It was for the same reasons the union rejected the agreement on April 15 (see our dispatch No. 090423).
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ers or the other unions, in a hurry to sign, were willing to negotiate” said Jean-Francois Tamellini, chef de cabinet at the FGTB Metal. He went on: “We hardly had a glimpse at an opening on buying power, which includes ecochecks, meal vouchers, hospital insurance and loan back pension. In the end, everyone backed out.” It was for the same reasons the union rejected the agreement on April 15 (see our dispatch No. 090423).

Following events. The ball is now in the Agoria employers’ federation’s co

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