Liberty Dudelange – The situation is deteriorating

On December 4, a few days after the handover, the OGBL and LCGB unions and the staff delegation supported by the unions met with the Minister of Labor, Georges Mischo, and the Minister of the Economy, Lex DELLES, to take stock of the situation at the Liberty Dudelange site.

This meeting, requested by the unions, also follows the meeting organized by Liberty’s management on November 23 to ask the staff delegates and the OGBL and LCGB to start negotiations to set up a job protection plan (plan de maintien dans l’emploi – PME) to guarantee the payment of wages.

The scenario of default is becoming clearer. The situation continues to deteriorate. The company has informed the workers’ representatives that it can no longer guarantee the payment of wages for the coming months. The patience of the workers, the delegates and the unions has run out. For almost three years, words and promises without a future have created an omnipresent weariness on the site, which has become a ghost. The climate of uncertainty is creating an increasingly weakened atmosphere on the site.

The workers’ representatives also reiterated their request for support from the government, which had already been confirmed in the past by previous ministers. This support consisted of two essential points:

  1. Support for employees to avoid a temporary loss of wages in the event of the bankruptcy of the Dudelange site under the Liberty banner.
  2. The reactivation of a Plan B to evaluate and relaunch solutions for the takeover of activities and personnel by a new, serious industrial player.

Ministers Delles and Mischo, in the presence of the ministerial advisers who are closely following the dossier, confirmed to the staff representatives the intentions and commitments made towards the Dudelange employees and the government’s willingness to support the employees in the resumption of activities at the Dudelange site.

The ministers also announced that they would soon be meeting with Liberty’s management to take stock of the situation and assess the various prospects. For their part, the OGBL and the LCGB continue to judge Liberty’s attitude as extremely shabby. Liberty is slowly killing the Dudelange site and holding its employees hostage in order to obtain public aid without any concessions or compensation. The unions and the staff delegation have declared their loss of confidence in the Liberty Group, as they can no longer imagine a resumption of activities with this group.

The OGBL and LCGB thanked the two ministers and emphasized the support and guidance they have provided. If there is still a semblance of calm and social peace in Dudelange, it is also thanks to the public commitment and support.

Published December 7, 2023

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