15 August, 2011
Three days before the annual two-week summer shutdown at a Clariant plant in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, management of the Swiss-based chemicals company fired two Centrale Générale-FGTB union representatives. Kamel Bennaceur and Mohamed Loukili were sacked on 27 July for doing the trade union work they were elected to do by co-workers.
Management of Clariant Benelux SA unilaterally installed two other workers to fill their duties. Managers cited “breach of trust” as the reason for dismissing the two delegates, who are of Moroccan origin. The ICEM last week in Switzerland registered a strong protest with Clariant Chairman Jürg Witmer and CEO and Director Hariolf Kottman, and intends to press the breach of international labour standards on the global level unless the two are reinstated.
ICEM Swiss affiliate UNIA also has written to the Belgian trade unionists expressing its support.
The FGTB has prioritised the dismissals and will hold a day of action at the plant on Wednesday, 17 August. The action will start at 09h30. It will occur on day three after the re-start of work at Louvain-la-Neuve, a city in Belgium’s Wallonia federal region some 40 kilometres southeast of Brussels. The plant is part of Clariant’s Masterbatches division and produces colour additives for inks and textiles.
FGTB says the real reason for the firings is the pair are just too conscientious in the performance of their duties. They conducted work inspections and were in constant communication with the 45 other blue-collar workers employed at Clariant regarding work rules and social legislation. The 45 solidly support the union stalwarts, Bennaceur and Loukili.
FGTB Adjunct Regional Secretary Enzo Gramaglia Talks to Clariant Workers
The union held two abbreviated meetings with plant managers – on 28 July and 10 August – but bosses refused to discuss the sackings or consider immediate reinstatement. FGTB said that recent and similar firings at Belgian Refining Corporation (BRC) in which shop stewards were also dismissed, but subsequently reinstated, will provide the template for this breach of Belgian work law and international labour standards.
The ICEM vows to assist its Belgian affiliate in the entire legal process.
Management of Clariant Benelux SA unilaterally installed two other workers to fill their duties. Managers cited “breach of trust” as the reason for dismissing the two delegates, who are of Moroccan origin. The ICEM last week in Switzerland registered a strong protest with Clariant Chairman Jürg Witmer and CEO and Director Hariolf Kottman, and intends to press the breach of international labour standards on the global level unless the two are reinstated.
Kemal Bennaceur, Mohamed Loukili
The FGTB has prioritised the dismissals and will hold a day of action at the plant on Wednesday, 17 August. The action will start at 09h30. It will occur on day three after the re-start of work at Louvain-la-Neuve, a city in Belgium’s Wallonia federal region some 40 kilometres southeast of Brussels. The plant is part of Clariant’s Masterbatches division and produces colour additives for inks and textiles.
FGTB says the real reason for the firings is the pair are just too conscientious in the performance of their duties. They conducted work inspections and were in constant communication with the 45 other blue-collar workers employed at Clariant regarding work rules and social legislation. The 45 solidly support the union stalwarts, Bennaceur and Loukili.
FGTB Adjunct Regional Secretary Enzo Gramaglia Talks to Clariant Workers
The union held two abbreviated meetings with plant managers – on 28 July and 10 August – but bosses refused to discuss the sackings or consider immediate reinstatement. FGTB said that recent and similar firings at Belgian Refining Corporation (BRC) in which shop stewards were also dismissed, but subsequently reinstated, will provide the template for this breach of Belgian work law and international labour standards.
The ICEM vows to assist its Belgian affiliate in the entire legal process.