Trade unions Zeebrugge reach agreement on consequences of port merger with Antwerp | Bruges
ZeebruggeThe planned port merger between Zeebrugge and Antwerp is almost complete. On Friday, the new port authority drew up a social agreement with the trade unions in Zeebrugge.
Mathias Mariën, Bart Huysentruyt
Source:
Own reporting, Belgium
Mayor of Bruges and port chairman Dirk De fauw (CD&V) say that a “unanimous agreement has been reached with the three major trade unions for the future of the staff”. During the negotiations, several job titles were sensitive, but everyone is assured of work, workplace and maintenance of income during the transition to the merged company. Those who switch receive social benefits such as group insurance.
All those guarantees do not implement that full optimized function. “By scaling up Zeebrugge in Antwerp, some titles of, for example, ‘will be exchanged for ‘deputy’. “That is sensitive,” says De fauw.
According to the mayor, the detailed agreement is “mainly legal design, which looks at the financial consequences of changing governance… .”
MBZ CEO Tom Hautekiet speaks of “pretty intense discussions with the trade unions.” According to Hautekiet, the implementation of the agreements will not be easy. “In addition to the numbers, there is an expressed aspect to it for many people.”
HR is about the last part in the coordination of all processes and systems, so that everything continues to run at the end of April. “For example, a major assignment was the transfer of ownership of three thousand lots of land,” says Hautekiet. “After the ‘two-city agreement’ in February 2021, a lot of work has been done to obtain all permissions and draw up all agreements.”
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