WILRIJK – The workers at the Coca Cola location in Wilrijk have gone on strike on Wednesday. They want to pressure the management to reopen negotiations on a collective labour agreement for 2007-2008. Trade unions ABVV and ACV announced this on Wednesday.

Negotiations were planned for Thursday, but management cancelled the talks and has asked the social mediator to get involved, the unions say. The unions are “surprised that management is no longer giving the negotiations a chance.” A talk may be held with management today, says Danny Van Goethem of ACV. Just over 200 people work at the Coca-Cola facility in Wilrijk.

The collective labour negotiations also concern the Coca-Cola locations in Ghent and Hasselt, says Van Goethem. The personnel at those locations will be informed of the state of affairs later in the day today.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news