© AFP
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Ikea Belgium is temporarily suspending its cooperation with the Dutch parcel company PostNL. That is the result of the investigation into the company. “There are too many question marks,” said Ikea. “And we ask for clarity before we resume the collaboration.”
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Following numerous cases of undeclared work and other social violations, the inspection services have been carrying out checks at courier companies for some time. Drivers who work as subcontractors or on behalf of a subcontractor would have to work long hours every day. Some have to deliver as much as 250 to even 500 packages per day. The unions previously spoke of “modern slavery”, because the drivers often have to make do with meager wages and even barely manage to get by.
Monday morning it was PostNL’s turn. The inspection services, customs and police raided the depots of the postal company in Wommelgem, Ardooie and Mechelen. “In Mechelen, a dozen people were caught because they were working outside their regular work schedule. We have also observed the same in about ten people in Wommelgem. There were also ten violations of undeclared work. A person who was illegally staying in the country was also found during the action in Mechelen,” said deputy Gianni Reale of the Labor Auditorate at the time.
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Following the investigation and the infringements found, Ikea Belgium has decided to end its cooperation with PostNL. The company confirmed this to our editors on Thursday. “There are too many question marks about the situation and we are asking for clarity before resuming cooperation,” Ikea said.
Temporary solutions have been found for the sealed packages, it still sounds. “People are going to get it as soon as possible.” Because Ikea also works with Bpost in addition to PostNL, the company says it will not run into problems. “Fortunately there is still Bpost.”
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