The three trade unions at the VRT have submitted a notice of action. This must cover all planned and unplanned actions of the VRT employees. These actions may lead to absences of employees participating in the actions. Any absences are covered and supported by the three trade unions with this action notice. ACV-VRT, ACOD-VRT and VSOA-VRT announced this to Belga on Thursday evening.
The management of the public broadcaster announced a transformation plan last Thursday that, in addition to a cost reduction, includes a thorough digitization of the broadcaster. This includes 116 layoffs, 50 natural leavers are not replaced, and the popular soap opera “Thuis” is outsourced to a private production house.
According to the unions, almost all VRT employees were first stunned and then very angry about the plans proposed by CEO Frederik Delaplace. The unions emphasize on Thursday evening that they also do not agree with the sale of “Thuis”. “For 70 VRT colleagues, this would mean an uncertain future at a private production house. We are seriously concerned about the consequences for wage and working conditions and job security in the longer term,” the unions emphasize.
According to the unions, these plans break the promise of Flemish Media Minister Benjamin Dalle. “There would be no naked redundancies at the VRT. The transformation plan now proposed goes directly against that,” the unions emphasize.
Quote
This notice is a means of showing the management that we mean it, but that we are still giving the social dialogue every opportunity.
That is why the common trade union front submitted a notice of action to the chairman of the board of directors and the management of the broadcaster on Thursday. According to the unions, this notice covers all planned and unplanned actions by VRT employees. These actions may lead to absences of employees participating in the actions. Any absences are covered and supported by the three trade unions with this action notice.
“An action notice is slightly broader than a strike notice,” says Carlos Van Hoeymissen of ACV-VRT. “This also includes other types of actions, such as spontaneous actions or staff meetings. This notice is a means of showing the management that we mean it, but that we are still giving the social dialogue every opportunity.”
No concrete actions yet
No concrete actions are currently planned, the unions emphasize. There would also have been rumors that the unions would take action during the presentation of the Music Industry Awards (MIAs), but the unions deny this on Thursday evening. Several more meetings are planned with union members and staff in the course of next week. After these discussions and meetings, the unions will conclude whether there will be any actions and what those actions will be.
VRT rejects production of ‘Thuis’, but that is not immediately cheaper for them(+)
Home-workers respond to transformation plan: “Your mother house that is rejecting you, that hurts”(+)
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.