In the Delhaize van Deurne, one of the fifteen branches that became known to be taken over by independent entrepreneurs, nerves are tense. ‘You can come and shop with us, but you are not allowed to ask our employees any questions.’
“Do you have permission to take pictures here?” We do not immediately receive a warm welcome in the Delhaize on the Herentalsebaan in Deurne, one of the fifteen supermarkets that will be under independent management from October and November. “We have been given clear instructions that we are not allowed to say anything to journalists,” says a shop assistant, who quickly turns his back on us.
We have a little more success with a second employee. Desperately she wants to tell us something about the uncertain situation in which the staff are now. But barely thirty seconds later, the store manager approaches us: “Did you ask permission for this?”
Logical, none of the staff was informed in advance about what was announced yesterday morning, not even the store manager. The first 15 of the 128 supermarkets that Delhaize owns will be taken over by independent entrepreneurs from October and November. This concerns the locations of Ypres, Izegem, Knokke, Denderleeuw, Grimbergen, Ronse, Deurne, Wilrijk, Hankar, Mutsaard, Boondael, Flagey, Nijvel, Bouffioulx and Recogne.
All employees of the affiliates in question will retain their employment and current wages and working conditions. Each of them will receive written confirmation of this, Delhaize says. “Employees who are ill for a long time will of course be transferred,” said the retail chain. In addition, a transition premium of 1,500 euros will be awarded, which will be increased by 100 euros per year of seniority. Also, store employees on time credit will keep their current premiums. “Delhaize will make up the difference in the future, both for the sector premium and the company premium.”
113 more stores to go
Trade union representative Chantal Delie of the BBTK reacts with great suspicion. “It will all be like that in the beginning. But the collective labor agreement clearly states that this can be deviated from for ‘economic and organizational reasons’. Suppose the new owner notices that it is very difficult to keep working with the same number of employees. Then he will find grounds in this collective labor agreement to put staff on the street.”
The new owner in Deurne, Wim Vercammen, has three other Delhaizes where he is a franchisee, namely in Grobbendonk, Berchem and Borgerhout. Four other acquirers are currently also operating other Delhaize supermarkets. “Five entrepreneurs are joining the Delhaize family for the first time and five acquirers are employees of Delhaize,” it says in a press release.
It was not disclosed why exactly these fifteen supermarkets were chosen. “I expected this announcement much earlier,” says Luc Ardies, managing director ofbuurtspar.be, the UNIZO organization of specialty shops and independent supermarkets. “It means that the acquisitions for the other 113 stores are not yet complete. So there is still a lot to go. We have noticed that more than half of the candidates have dropped out during the procedure. It is also not easy to be profitable with the conditions imposed by Delhaize. The limited flexibility is really exceptional for this sector. They want independent entrepreneurs, but they don’t want them to play to their local strengths. The operators get all the burdens, but not the benefits.”
In recent days, several testimonials have surfaced in the media from prospective buyers who complained about the strict conditions to which they would be subjected. For example, almost no local products could be used and national promotions would have to be completely copied.
According to Erik Dirkx, secretary of BBTK Antwerp, there is a hidden agenda. “They mainly want to erode the wages and working conditions of the employees through a back door. I think they should already have a plan B in mind if they don’t find real self-employed people. Then they will turn the current managers into independent directors.”
Mixed feelings
In the store in Deurne, staff were informed during the course of the day on Monday about the innovations that are coming. “I just had to hear about it in the media at first,” says Ludo, who has been working for Delhaize for sixteen years and will retire next year. “I have mixed feelings about it. We’ll see what happens, we can’t change anything anyway. I will especially be curious to what extent they will adopt the existing wage and working conditions.”
Ludo can’t tell us more than that, the store manager taps us on the shoulder again. This time he has national spokesman Roel Dekelver on the phone. “We ask that you leave our business,” Dekelver makes clear. “You are on private property here and we want you to let our employees work quietly. We want to protect them from themselves today and we don’t want them to speak to you. Today is an emotional day and so they better give those emotions a place first. You can come and shop with us, but you are not allowed to ask our employees any questions.”
On Monday evening, the unions discussed whether there would be any action in Deurne in the following days. Strikes had already broken out in shops in Brussels and Nivelles on Monday.
