A good agreement that strengthens staff purchasing power On May 12, 2023, the OGBL, as union spokesperson at Auchan Retail Luxembourg (12 seats out of 13 on the staff delegation) and the LCGB signed an agreement with Auchan management on the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement applying to the company’s 1,219 employees. The new collective bargaining agreement will run for 36 months, from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025. The agreement, signed after several months of negotiations, updates the salary scale, which had largely been overtaken by changes in the social minimum wage. Thanks to this adjustment, employees will benefit from salary increases ranging from 35 to 90 euros per month. In January 2025, additional salary increases of up to 25 euros per month are also scheduled. For the first time, the agreement provides for fixed intervals between different positions on the salary scale. This will prevent the scale from being overtaken by the social minimum wage in the future, and will also ensure that all salaries evolve when the social minimum wage rises. The agreement also provides for an increase in the bonus for Sunday work, from 70% to 80%, with the exception of six Sundays a year, which are paid at 220%. An additional day’s seniority leave for employees with more than 25 years’ service has also been granted. In addition, the anti-harassment procedure will be reworked. Finally, an “inflation” gift voucher to the value of 75 euros will be paid to all staff over the coming weeks. Throughout the negotiations, the OGBL delegation kept staff closely involved. An initial proposal by management, which did not include fixed intervals in the salary scale, was rejected by a large majority of employees. Following this vote, management came back with an improved proposal. The OGBL would like to thank all employees for their involvement, and underlines the exemplary commitment of the staff delegates. The OGBL is also satisfied with this excellent agreement, which reinforces the purchasing power of staff in a sustainable way. Press release from the OGBL Commerce Syndicate, May 12, 2023
The collective bargaining agreement is finally renewed! On April 27, 2023, the OGBL signed with Mister Minit management the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement covering the company’s 20 employees specialized in shoemaking and key duplication. This collective bargaining agreement had not been renewed since 2016. The OGBL appreciates the work accomplished thanks to the commitment and involvement of staff delegates. The agreement is valid for two years, from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. In addition to the recording of various legal provisions concerning working hours and store opening hours, the following benefits have been obtained for employees: Introduction of seniority-related leave, i.e. 1 additional day for every 5 years of service, from 5 to 20 years of seniority. This provision will be phased in gradually: From January 1, 2023: 1 additional day from 5 years’ seniority upwards 2 additional days after 10 years’ service From January 1, 2024: 1 extra day for employees with 5 years’ service 2 additional days after 10 years’ service 3 additional days after 15 years’ service From January 1, 2025: 1 extra day for 5 years’ service or more 2 additional days after 10 years’ service 3 additional days after 15 years’ service 4 additional days after 20 years’ service Increase in extra-legal per-kilometer allowance for travel from home to the workplace. Increase of the daily allowance for the upkeep of work clothes. Clarification of the criteria for granting end-of-year bonuses (e.g. in the event of retirement). The parties have also agreed to freeze a calculation element, which is influenced by inflation, for the calculation of commercial bonuses up to and including March 1, 2024. Communicated by the Commerce Syndicate of the OGBL, May 4, 2023
Renewal of the collective bargaining agreement for the almost 90 employees of SSP The OGBL has recently signed with the management of SSP the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement for the around 90 employees of the company. SSP includes the restaurants located at Luxembourg airport as well as a Starbucks in Kirchberg and a restaurant in Cloche d’Or. The new collective bargaining agreement includes an increase in the laundry allowance (+50%) the introduction of a regularity bonus of 200 euros per half-year linked to an attendance criterion an increase in seniority leave to 2 additional days after 5 years of service, 3 additional days after 10 years of service and 4 additional days after 15 years of service the introduction of a time savings account to preserve seniority leave days an increase in the bonus for work on Sunday to 35% automatic qualified employee status after 10 years of seniority the creation of a working group with a view to introducing a salary scale by function category The agreement reached is valid for a period of two years, from January 1, 2023 (retroactive effect) to December 31, 2024. Communicated by the OGBL Commerce Syndicate, April 19, 2023
Comptoir des Fers et Métaux: a good agreement for employees On 30 March 2023 the OGBL signed the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement covering the 140 employees of Comptoir de Fers et Métaux (CFM). The agreement is valid for a period of three years, from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025. The OGBL is pleased with the work done thanks to the commitment and involvement of the staff delegates. It should be noted that the negotiations took place in a constructive climate and led to the following improvements Possibility of adding the rest time generated by the overtime work to the annual recreation leave counter. Adding the compensatory rest generated by the employee’s work on a public holiday falling on a Sunday to the annual recreation leave counter. Postponement of unused legal leave until December 31 of the following year (instead of March 31). Formalisation and increase of benefits for employees when shopping at CFM. Increase in the face value of meal vouchers for all employees to 10.80 euros. Increase and modification of the staggering for the payment of the seniority bonus. Provision of a vehicle or reimbursement of travel expenses for occasional replacements. Possibility for employees to be assisted by a member of the staff delegation during annual appraisal interviews. Increase in the non-accident bonus for delivery drivers and replacement drivers. Formalisation of the dispensation from work granted for the afternoon of 24 December. Introduction of a dispensation of work for the afternoon of December 31. Introduction of a results bonus of up to 2000 euros gross (with a guaranteed minimum of 450 euros in gift vouchers). Press release by the OGBL Commerce Syndicate, April 7, 2023
Delhaize: Belgium-Luxembourg, same fight! The OGBL has taken several initiatives since the recent announcement by Delhaize Group to franchise all of its 128 integrated shops in Belgium. A delegation from the OGBL’s Commerce syndicate met with the management of Delhaize Luxembourg on March 13th to discuss the situation and the fate of the shops in Luxembourg. The management assured that the financial situation of the integrated shops in Luxembourg is good, without however being able to guarantee that the decision taken by the group concerning the shops in Belgium cannot be extended to Luxembourg. The OGBL Commerce syndicate then also met on 15 March with Françoise Malherbe, who is permanent secretary for the commercial sector at the FGTB, the Belgian trade union involved in the fight at Delhaize. The aim of this meeting was to exchange views on the situation of Delhaize shops in Belgium and Luxembourg and to seal an alliance in this fight between the two unions. It should be noted that since the group’s announcement, employees have been holding continuous strike pickets in about a hundred shops on Belgian territory. It should be stressed that like all companies in the retail sector, Delhaize has emerged as a winner from the crisis. The group, which has chosen to put the future of 9,000 Belgian employees on the hot seat, is not in difficulty. The OGBL strongly condemns the group’s decision and is far from convinced that it will not one day decide to take a similar step in Luxembourg. Moreover, the OGBL fears that this organized social raid will inspire other retail groups. The OGBL has started to support the employees by participating in strike pickets, notably at the Delhaize integrated shop in Arlon. The OGBL will continue to support the employees by participating in future actions organized by the Belgian trade unions and will also carry out awareness raising actions in Luxembourg. Press release by OGBL Commerce Syndicate, 17 March 2023
Franchising Delhaize Luxembourg stores: the OGBL says NO! At an extraordinary works council meeting held on March 7, Delhaize Group announced its firm intention to convert all its supermarkets in Belgium into franchises. These stores, which are currently under its own management, will become independent stores. And in Luxembourg? Delhaize Group employs around 9,000 people in Belgium in 128 supermarkets – 9,000 employees who will soon be under new management. The employees are very worried about this situation. And with good reason, since this change will make Delhaize a retailer of its own brand, which, by pulverizing the company, will definitively eliminate union representation and collective bargaining within the company, with the consequences of a deterioration in the working conditions and salaries of workers, as well as the threat to their job security. In Luxembourg, out of 58 “Delhaize” locations, there are currently about ten supermarkets, two “Proxy” stores and a multitude of already franchised establishments. Delhaize Luxembourg employs a total of about 690 people. The OGBL, which is represented in the Delhaize Luxembourg staff delegation, would first of all like to express its support to the employees concerned and the Belgian trade unions. A meeting will take place shortly between the OGBL’s Commerce Syndicate and the Belgian unions to discuss the group’s decision. Furthermore, even if no official announcement has yet been made in this sense in Luxembourg, the OGBL fears that the model applied in Belgium will be reproduced in Luxembourg. That is why the OGBL has already contacted the management of Delhaize Luxembourg to start a dialogue. Press release by the OGBL Trade Syndicate, March 9, 2023