News

Belgian workers told if you want a job move to Germany or the Czech Republic!



This is the option for more than 700 DHL workers in the European Headquarter (EUHQ) in Diegem/Belgium.



The management needed only 17 minutes to inform our colleagues, who have been loyal to DHL for many years, that their jobs in Belgium will be deleted and that their lives will change forever! More than 700 workers in the DHL EUQH are affected and required to move to Germany or Czech Republic if they want to keep their job. The decision, according to the management in Bonn, has nothing to do with cost saving measures but is a move to be closer to the big customers and to centralize the operations.



UNI Europa say the management should ask themselves about what are really their priorities if this is not cost cutting move, then why would they take such a step that will destroy more than 700 jobs and the lives of several hundred people. It is not realistic to offer a move to Bonn, Leipzig and Prague to people with families, children and a social life in Belgium. UNI is not expecting that people will move, further we do not see there is a corresponding growth in the work force in the mentioned countries.



Workers of DHL are moved like chess pieces from one location to another. We can see this behaviour by this company worldwide. To UNI this means a total disrespect of the employees and contrary to the statements of the Deutsche Post DHL management when it promotes ‘respect’ as one of its main values?

 

-         We demand an open debate with the Trade Unions on alternatives for this closure and solutions for the affected workers and their families.



-         We demand the full recognition of the Trade Unions as equal negotiating partner within Deutsche Post DHL not only in Belgium, but worldwide.



-         We urgently demand the Management of Deutsche Post, DHL to sign a global agreement with UNI, and to ensure the integration of Unions and workers representatives in every strategic step the company is undertaking such as in this case in Belgium.



We express our full support and solidarity to the Belgian Unions and we will do everything possible to help our Belgian colleagues in these difficult times! We call all affiliated Unions in UNI to support the Belgium colleagues and express their solidarity to help solving the problem and giving them power to keep on negotiate with the DHL management to find solutions!